


Enthralled

by PaulaGay



Category: Bleach
Genre: Alternate Universe, Drama & Romance, F/M, Ghouls, M/M, Vampires, Were-Creatures, Yôkai
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-11-01
Updated: 2015-08-11
Packaged: 2017-12-31 03:34:01
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 15
Words: 68,945
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1026764
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PaulaGay/pseuds/PaulaGay
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ichigo Kurosaki is a normal boy leading a normal life until a very intriguing older man enters it.  Suddenly his life is anything but normal.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Early July 2013

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 7/23/15: Fixed a few errors I found when I went back to this one!

* * *

“IIICHIIIGOOOO!” came the loud voice as Ichigo heard the thundering footsteps running toward his bedroom door. He turned from his closet just in time to see his father sailing toward his bed.

 

“Dad, I'm over here,” he stated flatly as Isshin tumbled onto his bed trying to swat at the covers. The man quickly stood up and turned to his son with only a slight pinkness to his cheeks at his mistake.

 

“I'm ok!” he chirped at his scowling son.

 

“Do you really think I care Dad?” Ichigo asked. “What do you need?” he asked, now sounding bored. “I'm getting ready for school,” the almost eighteen year old senior continued with one eyebrow cocked as he watched his father's antics.

 

He was currently dressed for school and had been reaching for his jacket before his father had flown in. He was a very popular boy with both male and female students and had a small close-knit group of friends. He was about 5' 11” and had somewhat shaggy tangerine colored hair. The kids that admired him the most declared that it was his most striking feature and added to his overall charm and beauty. No one had ever called him beautiful to his face as they didn't want to get beaten to a bloody pulp, but it was still the prevailing opinion that he was a beautiful young man. Even though he scowled all the time and was known for his brawling prowess, he was also kindhearted and loyal to a fault toward anyone who won his trust and respect.

 

“Well, I just wanted to double check that you'd be at the hospital for tomorrow night's fund raiser,” Isshin turned serious, completely surprising his son.

 

“Yes, Dad, I'll be there...although I don't understand why you've been so adamant about it!” Ichigo replied, exasperated.

 

“There's a two-fold reason, Son. First, I want you to keep the younger guests occupied while all us old folks talk money. And second, there's someone attending that I specifically want you to meet.”

 

Ichigo shook his head as he continued to get his school gear together, “You still haven't told me who this geezer is or why you want me to meet him.”

 

“His name is Kisuke Urahara and he was a tremendous influence on my life during college. I want you to meet him because I think he could help you along too.”

 

If anything Ichigo's scowl got even fiercer, “What exactly do you mean by 'help me along'?”

 

“It's simple really,” the older man sighed. “He likes to help worthy young people. I believe you're quite worthy and I want to introduce you. If you impress him, I know he'll help you with your education, just like he helped me.”

 

His son was left with his mouth hanging open. “You want to whore me out to him!?!” he squeaked in dismay.

 

“It's not whoring! You just impress him with your brilliance and get him to help with your tuition!”

 

“ **That's** whoring! Damn it Dad, do you **have** to be such a flake!?!”

 

“There's no sex involved! That's not how he works.”

 

“I didn't mean it that way literally!” he ran his hand through his hair in exasperation. “What **is** involved? No one does something like that for free, Dad; so how **does** he work?” he finally asked sighing.

 

“Well, I give free medical aid to his personal staff. I'm not sure what anyone else does,” the man had the grace to look embarrassed. “Look Son, you're going to need the financial backing. I can't put you through school alone. There just isn't enough money for you and both of your sisters.”

 

Ichigo gave him a level look as he thought over his options. He knew money was tight; it had been ever since his mother had died. They had what they needed, but nothing extra. And although he was far from dumb, he wasn't so brilliant that he'd earned an all expenses paid scholarship upon graduation. “Fine Dad. I'll go and make nice to the old man, but I won't guarantee **anything**! I'll be myself and if that's enough, fine; but I won't grovel or try to sell myself. Got it?”

 

His father gave him his usual big goofy smile, “That's all I can ask for, Ichigo.”

* * *

“I can **not** believe the old man would ask this of me!” Ichigo was still fuming at lunchtime as he brought his friends up-to-date. Ishida and Chad shrugged and continued to eat as they watched the show unfold. Renji snorted as he shook his head over his friend's situation and both Orihime and Tatsuki laughed outright at his distress. Well, Tatsuki laughed...Orihime just giggled.

 

“I don't understand why you're all freaked out Ichigo,” Rukia looked up from her lunch with a world weary sigh. “Visored Unlimited is a legitimate company run by an eccentric businessman. Nii-sama talks about him all the time.”

 

“Yeah?” Ichigo asked curiously. “Do they work together?”

 

She nodded, “He's so excited about meeting Urahara-sama at the fundraiser tomorrow night. It'll be the first time he's actually seen him face-to-face.”

 

“Byakuya? Excited?” the boy grinned. “Now that's something I'd pay to see!” he ducked down as she swung at him. Unfortunately he didn't see the kick that followed. “Ow, midget! Knock it off!”

 

Everyone else at the table ignored the two friends as they finished their lunches. They were used to them. Most of the kids at the table assumed Ichigo and Rukia would end up together; they already acted like a married couple. Too bad no one had told **them** this; it would have caused them both to share one of the better laughs of the year.

 

Rukia had a massive crush on their flame haired friend, Renji; and Ichigo only thought of her as a sometimes annoying sister. He currently didn't have anyone he was interested in, although back in middle school he'd secretly and hopelessly pined for Rukia's brother, Byakuya. He'd never told his petite friend and his crush had died a natural death before anyone had ended up fatally embarrassed.

 

The bell rang as Ichigo was checking his shin to see if she'd actually broken the skin this time and then the entire group headed back inside.

* * *

Later that evening a small jet plane set down at a privately owned airfield outside of Tokyo. If anyone had been watching, they would have noticed a sudden flurry of activity. They would have seen several people that looked to be mechanics scurrying around with a wheeled ladder; quickly setting it in place for the occupants use whenever they decided to exit the plane. They would have noted a well-built, white haired man that looked like the pilot open the door and stroll down the stairs. He was quickly followed by another giant of a man with black hair styled in cornrows and wearing mirrored glasses. He carried three large suitcases, which he set down as he reached the ground.

 

The second man casually looked around, checking the area for any unwelcome presences before he swiftly moved out of sight. Before too long a sleekly beautiful wine colored car rolled up to park near the plane. Anyone who knew cars would have immediately recognized it as a custom Rolls Royce Ghost.

 

The large brunette loaded the suitcases into the trunk and then returned to the car to sit patiently behind the wheel and wait. Less than half an hour later, out stepped a singularly handsome man. He was tall, about 6' and leanly built, with blonde almost shoulder length hair, which fanned around his face and fell across his nose, and an extremely pale complexion. He was dressed casually in jeans and a long sleeved green silk shirt, with a thick scarf thrown around his neck in an artistic fashion. Even though it was almost full dark now, he wore sunshades and kept one hand over his eyes as if to shield them from the sun's rays. For all the world he looked like a fashion model trying to keep a low profile. He quickly moved over to the car as the larger man hopped out to open the back door for him, bowing as the blonde entered the car.

 

There were a few minutes of discussion between the two men and then the car started up and silently drove away.

* * *

The same wine colored Rolls pulled into an older residential neighborhood about two hours later. Both of the car's occupants sighed in relief as they climbed out of the vehicle and stretched. The blonde gave his companion a soft smile as he began to make his way toward the traditionally styled home they were parked in front of. “Thank you so much Tessai, for your diligence in bringing me here safely.”

 

The big man bowed, “It was my pleasure Boss. Once I get the car unpacked and garaged, I'll be in to fix you some dinner.”

 

“No need, I'll scrounge up my own dinner later. However, I think I'll have a little wine while I unpack. After you're done, you can take the rest of the night off,” the blonde murmured as he made his way into his home. When he entered, he looked around at the beautiful furnishings and his smile widened into a full-blown grin. 'Gods it's good to be home!'

 

As he strolled through to the back master suite, he noticed that the tatami had been freshly laid and the building had been aired out in anticipation of his return. 'I'll have remember to give Suzuki-san a proper pay raise for all of her hard work on my behalf,' he thought as he surveyed his home. Although the outside of the building appeared a bit run-down and tired, the inside gave off a warmth and opulence rarely found in this day and age, at least outside of a museum.

 

He was a bit of a loner out of necessity and he preferred to live in older established neighborhoods rather than in the newest high rises, even though he could more than afford them. He was a private and thrifty man, some might call him a tightwad, although he **was** more than generous to those employees loyal to him.

 

He sighed as he fell face forward onto his bed and groaned when he sank into the mattress. 'Heaven!' he thought as he sighed again in bliss. Strange beds were never comfortable enough. When he heard the door slide open he turned over onto his back, still spread out and watched as his bodyguard set the two largest suitcases inside.

 

“Here you go, Boss. Have you had your wine yet?” Tessai asked.

 

The blonde made a face, “I hadn't quite got that far.” He looked away, a bit flustered.

 

“I'll bring that to you first while you unpack,” the bigger man nodded with a small grin as he left.

 

The blonde stood up and began to unpack as he thought over the reason for his presence in Japan; specifically in Karakura. Over the course of a long life he had acquired business interests in many different scientific fields. Since he was something of a scientist himself, whenever he found an individual who had a unique vision or passion for his chosen career, his company invested in them.

 

Over time his investment portfolio had blossomed and made him an extremely wealthy man. This had enabled him to step out onto a philanthropic limb and fund earnest and talented young people all over the world. Many of his 'children' had come from Japan, namely from Karakura, and as such he made frequent trips here to keep an eye on them.

 

Recently he'd been invited to a fundraiser hosted by Karakura General Hospital, and administrated by one of his 'children,' Ryuken Ishida. The man was both brilliant and arrogant...as well as very fun to tease! Also in attendance would be Isshin Kurosaki. Isshin was another of the blonde's 'children' and he'd contacted his benefactor, asking him to accept the invitation when it arrived as he wanted to discuss something very important. 'Knowing Isshin it's important to him and not me...but the boy is another fun one,' the blonde smiled to himself. The fundraiser was the next day and he found himself looking forward to it.

 

He was about halfway through unpacking when Tessai re-appeared with the promised wine. Kisuke nodded his thanks and returned to his task after accepting it and dismissing his friend for the night. Once he was done, he picked up the glass and headed for the bathroom. He felt grungy and wanted to clean up before going hunting.

 

When he finally stepped out of his home, he was dressed all in black: a loose silk shirt, tucked in to low cut tight jeans and motorcycle boots. He quickly walked to the garage where all his vehicles were housed and immediately set out on his favorite BMW bike.

* * *

Two hours later, the beat of hard rock music pounded through the blonde's body as he moved through one of the more popular clubs that Karakura offered. It was owned by another one of his 'children' and catered to a certain type of patron. The kind of client who liked to stay out all night and have a good time before falling into bed at dawn...and not caring whose bed they fell in to. These were his kind of people, for even though he was a very well respected businessman, there was another side to Urahara.

 

A side that reveled in using a stranger in a bathroom stall, ripping their clothes off and plunging into their tight heat as he fucked them into the wall. He had a dark side that reveled in making his partner for the evening scream in ecstasy as he took what he wanted and drank his fill before sending them home to pass out and wake the next day with no memory of what had transpired.

 

 

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 7/23/15: Fixed a few errors that I found when I went back to this story.

 

* * *

Ichigo thought he'd be bored. He was prepared for it. As he waited for his friends to arrive at the hospital, he gazed out through a set of glass doors into the small park that had been created in the center quad for patients who wanted fresh air while they recovered. It was a peaceful setting and one of the few places he actually liked at the facility.

 

He was currently wearing his best suit; black linen with a simple white shirt and a black cross over tie that was held together with a single pearl button. 'I feel like an undertaker,' he thought as he sipped some sparkling apple juice. The drink was his father's idea of letting the 'kiddies feel like grown ups.' “I'd rather have a beer,” he grunted with a slight grin as he noticed that both Renji and Chad had arrived.

 

As the three gathered around the glass doors, Ichigo saw that they had similar glasses of sparkling juice. “What is this shit?” Renji asked, making a disgusted face after taking a sip. “It's worse than wine.”

 

“Sparkling apple juice,” Ichigo muttered while covertly checking out his two friends. They cleaned up well. Renji had on nice blue slacks with a white shirt rolled up to his elbows and a grey vest with no tie. He'd opted for braiding his hair rather than leaving it up in his usual ponytail and it made him seem older. The red head had accessorized with a wide piece of blue fabric that matched his slacks, wrapped around his forehead to cover his tattoos. 'I don't know why he covers those after having them put there, but whatever.' Chad had on grey slacks, a white shirt, and a black sport coat, again without a tie. “Man I wish I could of gotten away with something like you guys are wearing,” he sighed pulling at his own collar.

 

“But why? I think you all look hot!” The three boys turned to look at the petite brunette who had spoken. She was standing with her arms crossed and wore a simple sundress of light blue.

 

“Hey Rukia,” Ichigo smiled at his best female friend while Chad looked uncomfortable and Renji blushed. “This evening's getting better, did you bring Orihime? And did Byakuya deign to join us?” he finished a bit sarcastically.

 

“Yes to both of your questions,” she replied with a halfhearted glare. “Orihime ran into Uryuu, they'll be along in a bit. And for your information, Nii-sama wouldn't have missed tonight for anything! He's excited about meeting Urahara-sama.”

 

“What's the big deal about this guy?” Renji asked before anyone else could voice it. “I mean he puts his pants on one leg at a time, just like everybody else!”

 

“Yes, but not everyone else has an income in the billions...and I'm **not** talking about yen!” Rukia sniped back. Renji just sneered and shrugged.

 

“Ok, big deal. So he's never had to eat out of a can before, whoopee!” he turned away to check out the reception table with a slight blush across the bridge of his nose.

 

“Way to win him over, brat,” Ichigo commented mildly to his friend. “If you really want him, you'll have to stop rubbing his face in the fact that he's never going to be good enough for you.”

 

“Who said that?” she asked with a small gasp.

 

“He did,” was Ichigo's answer as the doors opened again and a singularly attractive couple walked in.

 

They were strangers to Ichigo and quite beautiful. Almost too beautiful; they didn't seem real. The woman was taller than Rukia but still shorter than Ichigo although her heels helped to make her seem taller. She had flawless caramel colored skin, black hair that glinted with purple highlights when she moved, and golden eyes. She wore a very simple cocktail dress that hit about mid-thigh. It consisted of a purple silk chemise with a black lace overlay. It was form fitting, showing off all of the caramel-skinned woman's best assets without being slutty about it.

 

The man was as pale as the woman was dark. He was wearing a light grey wool suit with blue pinstripes finely worked into the soft fabric. The pants practically flowed over his legs and were pleated at the smooth waist band. He had on a soft blue shirt and darker blue tie with a grey vest that matched the pants. He was carrying the jacket over one arm and looked like he'd just stepped off a fashion show runway. His outfit perfectly set off his fair complexion, blonde hair, and grey eyes. At around 6' tall he was built slightly bulkier than Ichigo but appeared incredibly fit. “Wow, gorgeous,” the boy murmured as his friends turned to look at who he was staring at.

 

“She's beautiful,” Renji whispered in awe as Chad nodded and Rukia glared at him. “What? It's true!” he insisted as he began to blush again.

 

Ichigo was about to swat Renji for being an idiot when he saw his father trying hard to wave him over discreetly...and failing. “Looks like this may be the man of the hour,” he smirked at the others. “Although he doesn’t look as old as I thought he would.”

 

“How old did you think he was, baka?” Rukia grinned. “I mean he's fit and all but he's obviously at least fifty or so.”

 

“Huh?” Ichigo asked and glanced back at the blonde, “I'd have put him much younger, if I had to guess by his appearance.” He felt a headache coming on as he noticed his friends gaping at him. “What?” he asked as he massaged the bridge of his nose; fighting the unexpected chill that wanted to run up and down his spine. “Guess I'll go get introduced before my old man has a hissy,” he waved and set down his glass on a passing try as he made his way over to his father and the newcomers.

 

When he approached the couple, he began to feel uncomfortable. There was something about both of them that made all of his warning bells go off at once. A part of him wanted to run while the rest wanted to get closer to discover the answers. Once he had moved over to the others, Ichigo realized that the man's appearance was very deceiving. He looked to be about thirty, physically. But his eyes were...ancient was the only word the boy could find to describe them. A light grey, they seemed to hold the wisdom of centuries and Ichigo found that he could easily get lost in them.

 

He also noticed another odd but interesting feature when the man laughed, which he did often. Urahara-san had slightly longer and sharper canines than usual. Ichigo's warning bells grew into wailing sirens. When he realized that he'd been staring, Ichigo dropped his gaze to the floor and blushed at his own nerve as the conversation washed around him. He was brought back to the present when it dawned on him that the blonde had asked him a question.

 

“I'm sorry, Urahara-san, could you repeat that?” he asked with another blush as his father glared at him for his rudeness.

 

Urahara just smiled and asked, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” He noticed with amusement that the boy blushed deeper and quickly tamped down his anger as he thought over his response. 'This one has fire! Niiiice.'

 

“A teacher,” was the clipped response. Then Ichigo's expression softened, “I want to be a teacher.”

 

“Do tell,” the blonde smirked into his wine glass. How he enjoyed teasing the earnest ones!

 

Ichigo shrugged, “Yeah. Maybe grade school or middle school. There was this one teacher I had back when I was younger. Up until then math had been a struggle. I just couldn't understand what the big deal was about.”

 

His expression turned amused, “She was very patient and showed me a different way to look at the problems. Math's my best class now. I'd like to be able the repay that; help someone else the way she helped me.” He grinned at the older man, “That and I like kids. I think it'd be the kind of career I could eagerly get out of bed for every day.”

 

Urahara, raised his glass to the younger man, “I hope you succeed, Ichigo-kun.” He noticed the boy rubbing the back of his neck, “Are you all right?” he asked with a slight frown.

 

“I guess? Right after you arrived, I began to get a headache,” the young man sighed.

 

“Huh, that usually doesn’t happen until **after** he starts speaking!” the woman, Yoruichi-san, said playfully; while grinning at her companion.

 

The blonde smirked her way, “Well, aren't we being the frisky kitty tonight?” Ichigo smiled slightly at what he assumed was lover's banter, and then excused himself back to his friends. There seemed to be a line forming to be introduced to the blonde and he knew better than to get in the middle of it.

 

Unbeknownst to him as he walked away, he was being given the most intense look by the older man. Urahara had picked up on something and the boy had caught his interest. 'There's more to that one than meets the eye,' he thought. 'And it doesn't hurt that he's absolutely gorgeous.' Kisuke deliberately turned away from the younger man in order to concentrate on the rest of the introductions. 'I'll have to speak to him again and soon.'

* * *

About an hour later Ichigo had managed to escape the crowd and was lounging on one of the benches in the back of the park area. Kisuke had seen him duck out and followed behind him discreetly. He was about to approach the boy when he noticed the Kuchiki girl flop down beside him. The blonde quickly ducked behind a tree to listen in and wait for his chance.

 

“Hey munchkin,” Ichigo murmured with a smirk.

 

“Hey ya strawberry,” she replied in kind as she leaned against him. “How's your head?”

 

“Mm, better, I think,” he answered. “It's weird. It's worse whenever I'm inside. Do you think it's something I'm breathing? Like an allergy?”

 

The young woman shrugged, “Don't know.” She grinned up at him, “So what'd you think of Urahara-sama?” Ichigo snorted.

 

“Only you would address him so,” he snorted. “I don't know. He was having way too much fun at my expense.”

 

That made the lurking man start a bit. He hadn't thought he'd been that obvious, 'He's smarter than I thought. I like this one.'

 

“Of course it didn't help that he thought I was a dumb kid. He probably didn't think I'd pick up on it.” He laid his head back against the bench back, “It's too bad. He seemed...intriguing.” Ichigo then frowned and glanced beside him. “Hey Rukia, could you do something for me?” When she nodded he continued, “Describe him to me.”

 

“Huh? You know what he looks like! You saw him yourself,” she snorted and burrowed into his side for warmth.

 

“Just, please? I want to compare my impressions with yours,” he gave her his puppy dog look and she sighed in exasperation. She just couldn't resist that face!

 

“Fine. He's about 6' tall and very fit for someone his age. He has blonde hair going grey at the temples that refuses to stay out of his eyes and laugh lines around both his eyes and mouth. He has an incredible complexion, I wish mine was as good. Satisfied?”

 

Ichigo dislodged her as he sat up quickly. “Weird,” he muttered as he ran his hand through his hair. “You're the third person I asked who's described him that way.”

 

“Of course I am,” she huffed in exasperation, “that's what he looks like. What do you see, Ichigo?” she frowned at her friend. He was acting oddly. It also looked like his headache was coming back by the pain she could see in his eyes.

 

“The same height and build that you guys do...but there's not a speck of grey in his hair. No laugh lines anywhere on his face. To me he looks to be around thirty,” he paused, deep in thought. He scrunched up his face against the pressure building in his head. “But I will agree that he's older than that. If I was a fanciful person, I'd say he's ancient...as in hundreds of years old.” He waited for her laughter to die down before finishing his thought, “It's all in his eyes. They look as though they've seen so much more than anyone else here...too much.”

 

Kisuke tried to slink back into the shadows even more, 'He can see through my glamour? Shit, shit, shit! Just who, no... **what** is he? No wonder he's got a headache, he has a natural defense against that kind of mind control. Now what? He's Isshin's son. What do I do?'

 

He almost missed the boy's next quiet statement, “I could drown in those eyes.... But, there's something about him that makes me want to run away as fast as I can. Like, if I don't, he'll eat me. Somehow I don't think I'd entirely mind if he did.” By this time Rukia was quiet and looking at her friend as if he was crazy. Kisuke didn't know what to think, but he was leaning toward delighted.

 

“So you're into older men? You know that's just disgusting, right?” she asked.

 

“No more so then the way you and Renji dance around each other and try to keep me in the middle!” he snapped. “I can't help it...I've always had a thing for slightly older men. Guys my age are just so...” he thought about the right word to finish, “...boring. Urahara-san is definitely **not** boring.” That made Urahara bite back a snort. The boy really was amusing! He wanted to know more about him and began to formulate a plan of attack. He'd need Yoruichi's help on this one.

 

“Then you should have pursued Nii-sama when you had the chance!” Rukia huffed.

 

“Y-you knew about that?” the orangette squeaked. “ **He** didn't, did he? Man it would be sooo embarrassing if he had realized,” he dropped his head in his hands as he groaned.

 

“No, he's an idiot when it comes to things like this. Even worse than you. But it really was obvious, you know. Sometimes you're so transparent...at least to me,” she finished with a grin. “What made you give it up?”

 

“I realized just what a stick-in-the-mud he was. We're too different and would have made each other miserable if the attraction had been mutual,” he smirked at his small friend; who looked torn between defending her brother and agreeing with her friend.

 

“So are you going to pursue this one?” Rukia asked mischievously. Ichigo snorted again.

 

“No. He's waaay out of my league; too suave, too debonair. What could we possibly find to talk about? He may be fascinating and sexy and all, but I got the distinct impression that the only interest he would have in me would be as a fuck toy. That's not what I want, Rukia; and you know it.”

 

The blonde silently agreed. Up until just now, that's exactly what he **had** thought. 'Now though...'

 

“True. It's not like there hasn't been any interest. You've just ignored them all!” she grinned. “I don't blame you for it, Ichigo,” she hurriedly continued when she saw his usual scowl settle back in place. “You have to be true to who you are, that's all. I can respect that you don't want to give it up to just anyone.”

 

“Dad keeps pushing me to impress him,” Ichigo began, completely ignoring her last comment. “He thinks that Urahara-san might mentor me through university like he did Dad. I tried to tell him that my career choice wouldn't attract his interest but he still wants me to make nice to him,” the young man made a gagging sound much to both the girl's and the blonde's delight.

 

“Just be yourself, Ichigo. Tell him exactly what you want to do with your life and what kind of career you **really** want. Not that crap you were spouting earlier. He knew you weren't being honest, you know.”

 

He looked at her sheepishly, “You overheard that part, huh? Dad doesn't even know what my dreams really are. I wasn't about to spill them all here!”

 

“So when you get the chance to talk privately, explain yourself. If he can't appreciate it, then screw him; he wouldn't be worth your time anyway.” Rukia stood up, “You ready to go back?”

 

“Yeah, I suppose,” he stood to join her and took her arm to head back inside.

 

Urahara finally stepped out from the tree he'd taken cover behind. 'What's he hiding? I knew there was more to him than he was letting anyone see. She practically called him a virgin. I wonder if that's true?' he began to grin salaciously. 'He does come across as innocent. She's right about one thing, he certainly doesn't need the likes of me in his life. Pity, because **now** he's actually roused my interest.' A predatory smile blossomed across his face, “He'll be a wild one to deflower. Now, how do I capture him? Decisions, decisions...”

 

As he slowly moved back toward the building he saw Yoruichi and motioned for her to join him. “What's up Kisuke?”

 

“Could you do me a favor?” he asked seriously. At her nod he explained, “I need information on Kurosaki Masaki and quickly. Isshin's son can see me.”

 

“Can't everyone?” she asked in amusement. “You're not exactly invisible.”

 

“Don't be a fool, little girl!” he snapped coldly, his power beginning to whip around her; causing her eyebrows to raise. “He can see me as I really am. You know what that means.”

 

“Damn,” she frowned. “Are you sure?”

 

“I overheard him talking to one of his friends. It was obvious he wasn't taken in by my glamour. He was confused because his perception was so different from everyone else's. He sees me as dangerous.”

 

She turned to him very seriously, “You know what that means, right? You're going to have to eliminate him.”

 

He shook his head, “No, there are other ways to render him harmless to me.”

 

“You can't turn him into a Pet if you can't control his mind, Kisuke,” she was seriously looking worried.

 

“I'm not talking about that, Yoruichi. If I can Enthrall him, he could become a very valuable ally,” he looked at her knowingly.

 

She gaped at him as if he were crazy, “Have you any idea how much of a gamble that is? He couldn't possibly be that important in the bigger scheme of things. Get rid of him now; that's the safest way!”

 

Kisuke spoke slowly, as though he was feeling his way through his impressions, “I've felt that something was coming ever since I arrived in Karakura, I think he's a part of that. My instincts are screaming for me to claim him. You know as well as I do that no **normal** human can see through my deceptions. If he's what I think he is and I can bring him to my side willingly, he'll be nothing but an asset. I need to find out what makes him tick. When we spoke earlier, he wasn't being completely honest when he said he wanted to be a teacher. That was his politically correct answer...not his true one. Once I know which buttons to push, I'll be able to guide our interactions so that he won't even realize I'm manipulating him.”

 

“And how are you going to do that?” she crossed her arms over her bountiful chest and glared at her friend.

 

He smiled wickedly, “Isshin invited me over any time I wanted. Those were his exact words, so I'm going to duck out for awhile. Care to cover for me?”

 

“Sure,” she shook her head. “Humans are so foolish,” she chuckled. “They can't even begin to conceive of the existence of our kind.”

 

Urahara smiled, “Which makes our lives that much easier. I'll take a quick look around his home and come back. You find out everything you can about his mother. Report back to me by midweek if you can. In the meantime, I'll work at ensnaring him.”

 

“Does he even **like** men?” she asked, guessing correctly what he had in mind. He winked at her and blinked away.

 

Moments later he appeared outside the Kurosaki family home. He chuckled and quickly became mist to phase through the front door, 'What a good boy Isshin is, bless his heart. However his son will pay the price of his father's blind faith.' He quickly decided that Ichigo's bedroom would be the best place to start and he headed upstairs to find it.

 

He smiled when he saw the door plaque with the number 15 on it, 'Nice sense of humor!' He phased through the door so as not to disturb anything as he began to look around. The room reeked of Ichigo; a combination of spice and vanilla, 'Heavenly!' The boy's desk was the most interesting. In the third door down he found several spiral notebooks. Within them he found short stories, poems, and what looked like the beginning of a novel.

 

He sat down with the notebooks. 'He's good. There's talent here,' he thought as he read a few of the shorter pieces. Contained within the pages of the notebooks he found the heart of a sensitive and intelligent young man.

 

'This boy is so much more than he appears,' he smiled softly as he carefully put the notebooks away and shut the door. Something inside Urahara began to shift as he thought gleefully, 'I can hardly wait to Enthrall him.' His face then set into determined lines as he vowed to himself, 'He's **mine** ; no one else will ever touch him.'

* * *

Kisuke snuck back to the reception shortly before it ended. As he stepped up to Yoruichi's side he noticed that the young people were gone. When he took her arm he asked, “Where'd the kids go?”

 

She grinned mischievously, “They left shortly after you did. You should know that this kind of function is boring to kids like that.”

 

“Damn! Now I've got to go hunt me a strawberry,” he sighed as he smirked.

 

She laughed delightedly; she'd been right that Ichigo was the only one that interested her friend, “Just go back to his home and wait for him, he'll turn up eventually.”

 

Before the blonde could answer her, the boy's father came over with a smile, “Kisuke-san, I'm glad I caught you before you left. Are you going to be in town for a while? I'd love to have you over for dinner; that way I could introduce you to my girls.”

 

Internally, the blonde was practically jumping for joy, “That sounds nice, Isshin. It'll give us a chance to catch up.” He smiled as he clapped the other man on the shoulder, “But my boy, you should really just call me Kisuke. How long have we known each other?”

 

The brunette laughed, “You're right, of course, Kisuke. However I can't help but show my respect; you had such an impact in my life when I was younger. How does Friday night sound? Or is that too soon?”

 

'No, it's fine,” Kisuke turned as if to end the conversation and then turned back to the doctor. “By the way, I'm looking for a personal assistant to help me with organizing my time while I'm here. Do you know of anyone who might be interested in a summer job? It won't be difficult, I'll need some help keeping track of my wards while I'm housebound during the day.”

 

“Your condition hasn't improved any?” Isshin turned serious, the doctor in him rearing his head. “The change in location didn't help?”

 

“I don't believe anything will, my friend,” he sighed dramatically. “But I still have a good life and it's not like I can't afford the extra help during the daylight hours. If you think of anyone, please send them my way.”

 

As he moved to turn away again, he hid his smile when Isshin spoke up, “What about my son, Ichigo? He may not look like it but he's a very responsible boy and he can be very organized when he needs to be.”

 

Kisuke forced himself to look doubtful, “I don't know...doesn't he already have plans for the summer? He's a senior now, correct? Don't you think he'd rather party?”

 

“He actually mentioned wanting to get a summer job this year. I won't let him work after school and he wanted to earn some money for his expenses once he starts college.” Isshin tried hard not to look too eager, “This could be perfect for him.”

 

Yoruichi watched the exchange and marveled at how easily Kisuke got exactly what he wanted without ever giving away that he wanted it. 'And Isshin actually believes that it's all his idea,' she smiled. 'Kisuke you're such a sneaky bastard!'

 

After a little more discussion over Friday's dinner and Kisuke insisting that Isshin not pressure the boy too much, they took their leave. As soon as the car turned the corner, the blonde pulled over and gave the keys to Yoruichi, “Here, keep it for now. I'll have Tessai pick it up tomorrow. I need to find the boy!” and he was gone.

 

She huffed in amused frustration, “Single-minded idiot!”

* * *

It didn't take long to find Ichigo. Kisuke tracked his scent to a large home in a wealthy neighborhood not too far from where the Kurosaki's lived. He and his giant friend were saying goodnight to the petite brunette girl just as he arrived. 'Good.'

 

The two boys strolled away and began to head toward Ichigo's house. They didn't speak much and just as the blonde's mind began to wander, he felt several presences nearby. 'Three, four? No, five boys,' he thought; counting heartbeats. He saw both boys tense as they continued to walk seemingly aimlessly. However Kisuke noticed that they'd veered away from Ichigo's neighborhood and were casually headed for a nearby park, 'They know they're being followed? What's going on?'

 

Just as they reached the park, the would-be hunters found themselves caught by their targets, “What do you assholes think you're up to?” To Kisuke's ears Ichigo sounded tired. “We've kicked your asses before and we will again, jerk-off.” He turned and faced the one that looked to be in charge.

 

Ichigo began to smirk, “I guess we'll just have to keep teaching you this lesson until you learn it, right Chad?” At the larger boy's grunt of agreement, their assailants silently attacked and before Kisuke could do anything, both young men had flattened the five that had surrounded them. “Next time, bring more muscle. You'll need it if you hope to handle the two of us,” Ichigo chastised them. He smiled at his friend, “Thanks, man. Let's go.”

 

Kisuke stood transfixed as he watched the subject of his fascination stroll away. He was completely bewitched by the boy and harder than he'd been in centuries. He felt his canines begin to lengthen as he swallowed convulsively. 'He must have Hunter blood running in his veins. That would explain so much, including why his scent is so...alluring.' If he really were the monster people had claimed him to be in the past, he'd have attacked the boy and devoured him already. 'It's a good thing for him that I'm not quite that bad,' he smirked to himself as he returned to the Kurosaki house to wait for his newest plaything to come home.

* * *

A short while later, Ichigo was back home and getting ready for bed. He'd showered and put on some sweat pants and a loose fitting t-shirt before returning to his room and turning out the light. The bedroom was a bit humid so he opened the window before lying down. As he gazed at the moon and drifted off to sleep with the soft breeze caressing his body, he never noticed the shadow lurking right outside.

 

_In the blink of an eye, although he knew he had to be dreaming, Ichigo opened his eyes and found himself standing on a balcony, his hands lightly resting on the railing and a warm breeze ruffling his hair. He could see the ocean in the distance and could smell a light floral scent that he wasn't familiar with. The landscape was bright with color and seemed tropical. Ichigo was amazed at the detail given. He'd never had a dream this clear, and he'd certainly never dreamt of a place he'd never been to before._

 

“ _What the hell?” he murmured as he looked down at himself. He was dressed in... “silk?” He touched the shirt. “Yeah.” It was a loose black silk pullover shirt with a collar that hung open and full long sleeves that fell just below his wrists. He wore matching pants that tied around his waist and he was barefoot. He looked like he was dressed for bed, but he'd never owned anything so...hedonistic._

 

_He raised his eyes to take in the scenery, “Where am I?”_

 

_He squeaked when he felt a pair of arms wrap around his waist as a soft voice answered, “Somewhere safe.” He tried to tamp down the shudder that ran through his body as the stranger's breath ghosted over his ear._

 

“ _W-who are you?” the young man questioned as he felt icy long-fingered hands begin to roam freely under his shirt._

 

“ _Oh, Ichigo-kun, I'm so disappointed you don't remember. After all, we just met; at such a young age too...your memory should be better than that!” a voice he finally recognized whispered playfully in his ear, sending more shivers along his spine._

 

_He gripped the railing tightly as he gasped out a strangled, “Urahara-san?”_

 

_As the man's hands slid down his chest and stroked along his abdomen, Kisuke laughed lightly, “Call me Kisuke.”_

 

“ _U-urahara-s-s-aan,” the younger man groaned. “Q-quit t-t-touch-ing me!”_

 

“ _Oh, my dear boy, I can't do that,” he chuckled. “That's the whole point of this dream, you know.” His voice grew low and husky, “I want to make you scream my name.”_

 

_Ichigo felt the older man latch onto his throat where it met his shoulder. He closed his eyes and whimpered. He couldn't move. It was as if the blonde had frozen him in place. All he could do was feel the other man's cold hands running up and down his chest as his mouth lapped and sucked against his throat. “Damn it,” he sighed and reluctantly relaxed._

 

_The older man smiled when the boy began to submit to him. As Ichigo's head lolled to the side, the blonde's canines began to lengthen. He wanted just a little taste and he wanted it so badly. His tongue lapped at the vein pulsing just under the boy's skin and as his fingers found Ichigo's nipples and pinched, he bit down hard and Ichigo screamed._

 


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 7/23/15: Fixed a few errors I found when I went back to this story.

 

* * *

“Fuck, SHIT!” Ichigo woke, screaming and flailing as he fell out of bed, completely tangled in the sheets. His door banged open as his father ran in.

 

“Ichigo! Is someone attacking you?” he yelled while swinging a baseball bat around and nearly decking his son.

 

“Dad!” he ducked and grabbed the bat. “Dad, it's ok. I just had a bad dream,” he panted. “I'm ok, it's alright.”

 

“That must have been one hell of a nightmare,” his father looked at him closely. “You sounded like you were being murdered.”

 

“Yeah. Sorry about that,” Ichigo sat up and rubbed his neck, still a bit rattled and eyes wide. He could still feel teeth sinking into him and although he felt sickened by it, he was also very turned on.

 

“S'ok, try and get back to sleep, Son.” Isshin turned and saw the two girls, “It's alright girls, just a bad dream.”

 

“I'm sorry, guys,” Ichigo called after them. “I didn't mean to wake you up.” After he was sure his door was closed he quickly went over to his wall mirror and checked his neck for bite wounds. He sighed in relief when he saw his unmarked skin. 'Oh, thank the gods that was just a dream!'

 

He continued to rant to himself as he made his bed, 'What kind of fricking dream was **that**!?!' He saw the open window and decided it was better to shut and lock it. He was so rattled that he didn't look very carefully outside or he would have seen the star of that dream quickly ducking out of sight.

 

As he turned from the window, he realized that his sweats were damp. 'Shit! That was a fucking **wet** dream!?!' He groaned as he stripped, wiped himself down and then changed.

 

Kisuke noticed the boy's actions and smiled with impish delight, 'So he wasn't only scared? Maybe he likes a little pain with his pleasure...or was it the fear that set him off?'

 

When Ichigo lay down again and drew the covers over himself he thought, 'I came when he bit me? How twisted **is** that? What the hell's wrong with me?' He didn't think he'd sleep any more that night but before he knew it he was drifting off again.

 

_When he opened his eyes once more he was back within the same dream, another first for him. It was now dark outside and he was standing inside a bedroom, the balcony belonging to it on the other side of a set of glass doors. He was still dressed in the silk pajamas he'd been wearing before. As he looked around he saw the blonde from earlier sitting in an over-sized chair, almost as if he'd been waiting for him to return._

 

“ _Yes, Ichigo-kun. I'm still here,” he smiled as he fluidly stood and approached the younger man. At Ichigo's dismayed look he laughed, “You're facial expressions are very easy to read.” Ichigo stiffened when Kisuke cupped his cheek tenderly and leaned in to whisper, “I am sorry if I scared you earlier. I couldn't help myself,” he licked the younger man's ear. “Do you have any idea how delectable you are? You...smell...divine,” he kissed just below Ichigo's ear. And drew away before he completely terrified the younger man. He smiled as he backed away, waving Ichigo over to the bed._

 

_Even though the young man had a deer in the headlights look about him, he was stubborn enough not to back down. He was determined to see this dream through if only to put it behind him and he knew on some level that running away was not an option. Besides, he wasn't a coward; so without breaking eye contact, or blinking, he moved to the bed and gingerly sat on the edge. “What do you want from me?” he asked warily._

 

“ _My dear, simply put you are a mystery I want to solve, an enigma I want to unravel,” Urahara answered as he sat beside Ichigo. The younger man shifted away when Kisuke drew closer. The blonde smiled wolfishly as he rose onto all fours and began to stalk toward Ichigo while he scooted backward, crablike, until his back hit the headboard and he was truly trapped between the bed and the man who was now straddling his legs._

 

“ _Now isn't this more comfortable?” Urahara asked smoothly as he allowed his hand to sneak under Ichigo's shirt once more. He kept his eyes on his prey while the younger man shook his head negatively, but his breathing still grew deeper and heavier._

 

“ _I think someone's lying to himself,” Kisuke sang playfully. He then leaned forward, completely serious as he whispered, “I want to make you feel good. Will you let me?” he asked and drew back to give the younger man some space to think. Of course that was nullified a bit because his hand kept stroking along Ichigo's abdomen in an enticing manner as he slowly slipped the shirt over the boy's head and his eyes hungrily devoured the chest that was revealed._

 

_Ichigo looked at the sexy and dangerous blonde from half-lidded eyes and made his choice while another shudder of desire raced through his body. Probably not the best choice or anywhere near the right one, but lust has a way of shutting down the brains of young men with raging hormones. He nodded and watched the triumphant spark light up Kisuke's eyes._

 

“ _You won't regret this. Ever,” he purred._

 

“ _I highly doubt that,” was the soft answer when the older man descended upon him._

* * *

Ichigo awoke the next morning with a languorous stretch. He had to admit he had never felt better. He lay flat on his back with his arms folded behind his head and reran the events from the night before over in his mind. As far as seduction went, it had been pleasurable, more than that...exquisite. He'd never been touched the way Kisuke had touched him in his dream.

 

'Weird, but he was warmer in the second one. If it really was a dream,' he thought. The jury was still out on whether it was real or a fevered fantasy due to the fact that the object of his interest was sexy as hell and Ichigo had never actually **had** sex before. 'I still haven't,' he snorted as he got up to dress for the day. All that had taken place within the dream had been one hell of a heavy petting session; no actual penetration.

 

Yuzu greeted him when he came downstairs for breakfast, “Onii-san, how are you today? Did you sleep well after your nightmare?”

 

He smiled and ruffled her hair, “Yeah, Yuzu. I'm fine. I'm sorry for disturbing you guys last night. I'll try not to do it again.”

 

“You couldn't help it,” the younger girl smiled as she went back into the kitchen. “Now come and eat, Ichigo.” He shook his head and followed her to sit at the table. Isshin and Karin were already there; he was reading the paper and she was ignoring everyone and concentrating on finishing quickly. Then with a grimace she put her plate in the sink and headed out for the day.

 

“Son, are you still thinking of getting a part time job once school lets out?” Isshin asked casually as he glanced up from the paper. While Ichigo reached for the juice pitcher to pour himself some, he nodded.

 

“Yeah, I was. Why?”

 

At the same time that he was taking a sip his father answered, “Kisuke is looking for a personal assistant for the summer while he's here and I suggested you.” Ichigo inhaled some juice at that statement and went into a coughing fit. Isshin leaned over to whack him on the back, which of course only made the situation worse.

 

After Ichigo got himself back under control and waved his father off, the man continued, “He called me this morning to let me know he was interested in talking to you about it. I asked him over this Friday for dinner. He's ready to pay well and if you impress him, he led me to believe that he'd be willing to mentor you. What do you think?”

 

As Ichigo began to dig in to his breakfast, he refused to meet his father's eyes while he answered, “I hope he knows I have absolutely no experience! It seems as if you've already decided, Dad. Why not ask me first before offering me up to him?” at that he did look up, and with a glare.

 

“It all happened so quickly and by the time I got home last night you were already in bed, so I decided to talk to you about it this morning. He just happened to call before you woke up,” his father looked apologetic. “If you really hate the idea, you don't have to say yes. However, I would appreciate it if you'd at least listen to him first before turning him down, alright?”

 

Ichigo closed his eyes and sighed. It wasn't his dad's fault he'd been plagued by weirdly graphic and realistic dreams about the man all last night. At the idea of seeing him in person his cock began to stir with interest. “All right, I'll listen...but no promises, got it?” he scowled.

 

“I have to go to the library today,” Ichigo continued. “There's some research I need to finish up, so I probably won't be home for lunch.” Once the boy had finished his breakfast, he turned to his younger sister, “That was great Yuzu, thank you.”

 

“You're welcome Onii-san! I'll put a plate away for you to have when you do get home, ok?” Ichigo smiled his thanks, and grabbed his book bag as he took off.

 

Once he reached the library he went straight to the computer room and logged on. He decided to start with an internet search on dreams. That netted him over five million results, 'Shit!'

 

Dream interpretation didn't feel quite right, so he tried lucid dreams next and that was more what he was looking for, 'Except I seem to already be able to do that!' That led him to dream walking which sounded exactly like what he was looking for. Somehow it looked like he'd wandered into Urahara's dream last night. It was so lucid that he wondered if the older man had been as aware as he had appeared or if he was just playing out an erotic fantasy that Ichigo had accidentally wandered into.

 

'Now the question is...how did I do it? And will it happen again? How can I stop it? ...And do I want to?' he sighed in frustration and then scrubbed his hands through his hair. The man scared him on a very basic level but he knew he wouldn't mind a repeat performance of the latter part of last night's dream. 'Fucking hormones!'

 

After another two hours of research online and in the library stacks, he finally left after checking out a couple of books that sounded like they might be helpful, and headed toward home. He was tired, frustrated, and now had even more questions to answer then he'd had earlier.

 

Once he arrived home Ichigo went straight upstairs and dove into the first book he'd picked out. He stretched out on his bed and barely got through the first chapter before he'd drifted off to sleep.

 

_Ichigo was standing alone in the darkness and when it began to lift, he saw himself in an outdoor setting. It was daytime, but overcast and he was standing outside a stone building. As he turned to look at it directly, he realized it was a castle. It was a massive fortification that had been built to protect a city, and yet he was alone._

 

_He looked down at himself and found that he was more normally dressed in jeans and a dark blue long sleeved shirt. Then he heard a tune being whistled from off to the right and when he turned toward it there sat the blonde that had featured in his dream-scape adventures of the night before. Ichigo realized that he was dressed as he had been then, in a simple white shirt, black pants and boots. He was leaning against a tree and looked to have been reading but was now watching him with curiosity._

 

“ _I am surprised you're here this early, Ichigo-kun,” and he did look surprised and just a little unnerved. It gave Ichigo a feeling of control that he had lacked up until now._

 

“ _Frankly, so am I. May I join you?” he asked. Urahara waved him over to join him under the tree and the younger man flopped down beside him._

 

“ _I went to the library today to do some research on dreams and how this has been happening,” he began and then met the older man's eyes. At Kisuke's encouraging nod he continued, “It seems that either I've been walking into your dreams or you've been coming into mine.”_

 

“ _I will admit that the first time, I came in to yours and altered it to suit me. But, you returned on your own. And you are here now on your own.”_

 

_Ichigo nodded as if in confirmation, “Figures. Why did you do that?”_

 

“ _I wanted to get to know you better, and quickly. Through your subconscious seemed the best route.”_

 

“ _But why?” Ichigo turned to face him directly and unwittingly scooted closer, much to the older man's delight._

 

“ _As I said yesterday, you are a mystery that I want to solve,” he smiled sexily as he put his book aside and turned more fully toward the younger man. “You may not realize this, but this kind of dream walking is not common among Humans. Very few ever achieve this kind of clarity within another's dream-scape. You are a very unique young man, Kurosaki Ichigo,” he finished as he began to lean in to the younger man. Ichigo had other ideas though and stopped him by placing his hands on the older man's shoulders._

 

“ _Not yet, Kisuke-san. **What** are you?” At the other man's questioning look he clarified, “I'm convinced that you're more than a normal human...so what are you? You seem ancient and yet to me you only look to be about thirty. All the others I know who have seen you describe you as much older than that. What did you do to them...or did you do something to me?”_

 

_Urahara sighed as he sat up and suddenly became serious, “Simply put I'm a Night Walker. I am no longer human and haven't been for a long time. I was changed shortly before the European Crusades began, around 1048 AD,” he paused and laughed at the young man's complete look of disbelief. “Oh come **on** , Ichigo-kun! You sensed something was off about me from the start. After everything that's happened in the past twenty-four hours or so, you can't tell me that's so much of a shock!”_

 

_Ichigo shrugged and tried not to blush as he thought over what the older man had said. “I'll give you that this is weird on a whole new level for me, but what is a Night Walker? And how can you be so old and yet look so...” he waved his hand indicating the man's physique, “...incredible?”_

 

_The blonde couldn't help but look pleased, “A Night Walker is simply a creature of the night. There are many kinds; Weres, Ghouls, Vampires, and Wraiths being but a few. Most are nearly, if not completely, immortal; hence the long lives.” He inched himself a little closer to Ichigo, trying not to be too obvious about it. “You can see me as I really am. That alone makes you unusual...unique; and worthy of my interest.”_

 

“ _Which kind are you?” warm brown eyes met soft grey without flinching._

 

_Kisuke quirked an eyebrow at the younger man in amusement, “I am a Vampire.”_

 

_The younger man took a deep breath, “What the fuuuuck? You're serious!?! And what exactly do you want from me? Am I a way to pass the time, a fuck toy, or just food to you?” Ichigo wasn't sure he wanted to know the answer._

 

_The smile was back on the blonde's face and he obviously ignored the first part of the question in order to answer the last, “No, you are not just food to me. Yes, I want to taste you, but not in any way do I want to destroy you. I don't want you to fear me.”_

 

_For some reason, Ichigo actually believed the older man and nodded as he met Urahara's eyes once more, “Then what **am** I to you?”_

 

_The blonde's smile grew predatory and Ichigo shivered at the sudden drop in temperature. “While I do not want to destroy you, I do want to possess you. Simply put I want you in my life and in my bed.” He spread his hands in an all-encompassing gesture, “I want it all; your body, heart, and soul, all of you. I'm greedy that way. You will never be 'just' a sex toy or 'just' a food source. You will be so much more.” For all intents and purposes he looked like a kindly uncle while he said all of that; however the lustful gleam in his eyes gave it all away._

 

_Even though the words scared Ichigo and the truth shining within Urahara's grey eyes absolutely terrified him, he had never felt more alive in his entire life. He felt heat pooling in his loins and his pants tightened as he grew harder. He was more turned on than ever before and the fear only heightened that sensation. He groaned, “I will never let you control me! I will never give up my free will! I will never be anyone's puppet!”_

 

_Kisuke grabbed the back of the boy's neck and drew him into his lap, completely closing the distance and facing him nose-to-nose as he unconsciously breathed in his scent. “And I will never try to control you, Ichigo.... At least not by force,” his eyes grew dark. He continued, “I want you to **give** all that you are to me willingly, not force it out of you. From the first moment I saw you, I knew you were special and I wanted you. I am not into playing games and I won't beat about the bush. I want you and I'll do what I can to get you. And once I have you, I'll never let you go.”_

 

_Ichigo scowled, “And what about you? Are you willing to give me all of you?” He fisted both his hands into the other man's shirt, maintaining their eye contact. “Somehow I doubt it,” he answered his own question. “It doesn't seem quite fair for me to give up everything and you to give nothing in return.” The boy began to withdraw but Kisuke wouldn't let him move away._

 

“ _I can promise you this: As long as we are together, I will never touch another. I will gladly give you all I can, all that I am capable of, Ichigo. And I will never lie to you. No matter how hard the question is for me to answer, I will answer it. You will be treasured by me and yours will be protected, always.”_

 

_Ichigo blinked in shock and then shut his eyes and concentrated on getting his breathing under control again. When he opened them again, he focused his eyes on the older man's mouth, “Will you change me? Make me like you?”_

 

_Kisuke noticed the quiver in the boy's voice and felt his fear as he forced him to meet his eyes, “No. I have never willingly changed anyone into a Vampire and at this moment I can not imagine ever doing that to you.”_

 

_Ichigo sagged in relief and then sat up with a frown, “Why? Am I not good enough?”_

 

_Kisuke gathered the cranky boy into his arms and began to laugh, a genuine and purely happy sound, “Ichigo-kun, you are an absolute delight!” The younger man rested his head on Kisuke's shoulder as he felt the laughter surround him. “I no longer regret what I've become and generally am more than satisfied with my life. But, it isn't for everyone,” he grew serious as he continued. “I am eternal and have buried more friends, family, and lovers than anyone has the right to. I have seen countries rise and fall and whole peoples become no more. I wouldn't wish this life on anyone, especially one as vital and vibrant; as warm as you.”_

 

_Ichigo began to relax into the embrace, “I guess I can accept that.”_

 

“ _Good.”_

* * *

Monday rolled around bright and beautiful but Ichigo did not want to awaken. After the long nap the day before, he'd finally fallen asleep at about 3am and felt like crap when his alarm went off at 6. He groaned as he literally rolled out of bed and hit the floor with a thump. He seriously debated whether to stay there and try to get some more sleep or just get up already. His decision was made for him when he heard his father thundering down the hallway for one of his regular 'sneak' attacks. Ichigo hurriedly got up and opened his bedroom door just as his father came sailing through and landed in a heap on his bed.

 

“Really Dad? Is it absolutely necessary to do this every school day?” he asked; half in amusement and half in aggravation.

 

“My son, you are growing up so well,” Ichigo heard his father groan as he headed to the bathroom.

 

“Damn idiot,” he muttered as he washed his face and began to dress. He was giving his hair the usual brush through when he finally took a really good look at himself in the mirror. He looked different, he could tell; but he couldn't figure out why. Then it hit him. He looked alert, rested, and fully alive; even with the short night. His eyes sparkled with excitement, his body sang with energy, and for the first time since his mother died, he felt at peace; secure.

 

He smirked at his image, 'If attracting the attention of a monster does this for me, maybe I should embrace the situation.' He continued his introspective assessment as he went downstairs, had breakfast, and left for school, 'Of course, it's not just getting his attention. He wants me as his lover...and maybe a food source. Shit I gotta do some research on vampires! He said that Friday was my deadline for accepting his offer or rejecting it. I wonder what he'd do if I turned him down? He said he wanted me to be willing to accept all of him...he didn't want to coerce me. He also said we'd be meeting in our dreams so he could begin my **education** ,' he snorted derisively. 'Why isn't this scaring me more?' he shook his head at his own reactions.

 

'He's going to show me what sex is all about, I know he is,' Ichigo groaned in exasperation. 'Why is this exciting me so much? Am I just a horny teenager? Or is it him? I don't even know for sure whether any of this is real or just a twisted fantasy of mine! That's what I should figure out first....'

 

Ichigo continued through most of the morning in a fog of introspection and then went to the school library at lunchtime to see if there were any books on vampires. He actually found several and decided to check them out in order to make up his mind about Friday night.

 

He still struggled to convince himself that he could always turn the older man down, but deep down inside he knew he wouldn't. He was too intrigued. He also kept trying to persuade himself that everything that had occurred in his dreams hadn't been real, but he knew deep inside that **that** was a load of crap. Those dreams were real. What was happening was real and he was seriously considering becoming a Vampire's lover. The thought wasn't as loathsome or scary as he thought it should be, 'Fucking hormones!'

 

Rukia finally hunted him down at the end of lunch as he left he library to return to their classroom, “Ichigo! Where have you been?” And then she spotted his filled book bag, “And what on Earth have you got in there?”

 

“Hm? Oh, I had a story idea and needed to do some research,” he was actually rather proud of that excuse.

 

“Huh, it must be some story if it took up your entire lunch period,” she sniffed.

 

“Oh, it is Rukia...it is,” he smiled at his petite friend. She fell in beside him as they walked.

 

“So?” she looked at him expectantly. When he looked at her blankly she clarified impatiently, “What's the story about!?!”

 

His expression cleared and took on an amused cast, “So you want to know, huh?” Before she could explode he laughed, “I had an idea for a vampire story and I was doing research...ok?”

 

Rukia scrunched up her face in disgust, “Why on earth would you want to write about that? I didn't know you were interested in horror stories.”

 

“Who says I'm writing a horror story?” he scowled down at her. “I was actually thinking about an adventure with one of the characters being a vampire. Who knows? I might even include other monsters as well. Each monster type could be an allegory for the roles people play in society and how our culture ostracizes those who are different.”

 

She'd been caught in his creative monologues before and began to tune out; completely missing the dawning glint of enthusiasm on her friend's face. He was warming up to the idea and began to visualize the characters and how they would interact with each other. The rest of his day went by in a flash as he was deeply buried in the world he was creating.

* * *

Kisuke was excited when he awoke at dusk. It was only Monday, but he had a spring in his step that Tessai hadn't seen in centuries. He knew his employer had a new interest that he was pursuing but the bear of a man had never seen the blonde this...giddy before.

 

“So, Boss are you going out later?” Tessai asked as he brought Kisuke his mail and evening tea.

 

“Yes, I am. I have some...reconnaissance work to do tonight,” he said, looking quite satisfied.

 

“I hope your new Pet is worth it,” he smiled as he began to leave the room.

 

“Ichigo is **not** going to be a Pet, Tessai, and I won't have him referred to as one,” Urahara stated bluntly without even looking up from his correspondence.

 

The man turned, looking confused, “But...you've been visiting him. And you plan on claiming him this Friday, correct?”

 

The blonde sighed, “That's true, but Tessai...I have no control over him. A person can only be a Pet when both owned **and** controlled. In this instance the best label I can give him will be 'partner,' not 'pet'.”

 

“Are you sure that's a good idea Boss? You know what happened the last time you created a Thrall.”

 

Kisuke thinned his lips and then sighed as he ran his hand through his hair, “I know. **He** should have been made into a Pet. I was a besotted old fool. Ichigo, however...is different.”

 

“I see,” Tessai said. 'This'll be interesting. I hope the boy can handle him...and stays. He better be worth it! Kisuke doesn’t deserve to be let down again.'

 

“I'll be out late tonight; there's no need to wait up.”

 

“Very well, Boss,” the brunette turned, his smile widening as he left the room.

* * *

Kisuke left the house that evening with a smirk and walked quickly to the Kurosaki home. He felt no guilt over what he was doing. During his first life, no one had found anything wrong with deflowering an innocent; he'd done it plenty of times during his first thirty years. Male children were married by the age of fourteen and girls were by twelve when he had been alive and no one had thought anything of it. To find a seventeen year old as innocent as Ichigo, especially in this day and age, was a miracle that the blonde was not about to pass up.

 

He knew for a certainty now that the boy was still a virgin, by poking around in his subconscious while Ichigo had slept. He'd known all the high points of Ichigo's collective experience that first night. The idea of being all of the boy's firsts gave him a raging hard on that just would not go down, no matter how hard he tried. Kisuke could only hope that he'd be able to hold on to some control once he actually sank his length into Ichigo's tight heat. He really did not want to damage the boy!

 

'It'll be awkward at first but once he adjusts, I know he'll be a wildcat in bed. He'll probably give me a run for my money!' he thought lasciviously. 'I can hardly wait,' he chuckled gleefully as he took up a position on the roof of the house across the street from Ichigo's bedroom.

 

The lights were off when he first arrived; the boy was probably downstairs with his family. Fortunately it didn't take long for Ichigo to enter and turn them on. Kisuke wondered if he was aware of how easy it was to see into his room after dark when the lights were on and his window was open, or did he just not care who watched; Ichigo was a bundle of contradictions, both shy and bold at the same time.

 

The boy was still damp from the shower and had a towel slung low around his hips. He unwrapped the towel and quickly dressed in his usual baggy sweats and then began to dry his hair. 'After he moves in we are going to have to do something about what he wears to bed!' the blonde shook his head in disgust at the sweats. 'They may be comfortable, but they're **such** a turn off!'

 

As he settled down for the evening's entertainment, he continued to fantasize, 'Of course if I could talk him in to wearing nothing at all, that would be fine.' He frowned and shook his head, 'Probably not, he seems very shy. Full nudity with nothing going on might take some time.' He began to grin, 'But the challenge would be a lot of fun!'

 

He remembered a set of slave jewelry he'd acquired many years ago. He'd bought it while he was still alive and he thought it would suit Ichigo beautifully. 'I wonder...'

 

Ichigo had begun to do what looked like homework, 'He's very serious about his education. It's nice to see that kind of drive in the current generation. Most kids these days have so much given to them, they feel it's their right to have everything handed over. It'll be fun to give things to Ichigo, just because I don't think he'll expect it.'

 

He paused in his thoughts and hung his head, 'I sound like a dirty old man. That is absolutely not the image I'm going for! Experienced older lover, yes; perverted grandfather, **NO**!'

 

About an hour later, Ichigo finally finished his homework, grabbed another book from a rather large stack on his desk, and moved to his bed to read. Kisuke knew he'd be passing out soon so he settled down to set the stage for tonight's session. Even though he'd been honest about Ichigo's ability, Kisuke had glossed over the fact that he could do it too, and that he wasn't exactly asleep when they met up at night. The one time he'd actually been surprised was Sunday when Ichigo had taken a nap and found him in his own dream-scape, but that had actually gone rather well and the older man had been very pleased with the outcome.

 

Kisuke had thought long and hard about how to entice Ichigo this time and he had to admit that the scenario was one of his better ones. As Ichigo relaxed and fell asleep, the blonde was slipping into a meditative state and entering the boy's dream-scape. He had altered the area to his specifications before the boy even had a chance to create his own environment.

 

Once inside Ichigo's dream, he had dressed himself in a version of his favorite kimono; a formal one made from a heavy green brocade shot through with gold thread. The room he was in was draped in the finest silk; the fourposter hung with floor to ceiling drapes of white gauzy fabric and the bed a virtual nest of extravagant bedding. The room reeked of opulence and decadence. He smiled as the space was suddenly filled with soft candlelight and a light incense that was designed to heighten the sexual experience. Now all he had to do was relax and wait for Ichigo to join him.

 

 


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a couple of warnings before we continue! First Kisuke is most definitely a pervert in this one and there's a ton of sex in this story. I've tried to vary it as much as possible to keep it from becoming boring. That being said, some of the sex scenes may not be for everyone. Sorry about that. ^^
> 
> Second, my ideas about vampires are a bit different from other writers. I have used what's known and been written about them as a type of disinformation within the story. Let's face it, if vampires existed, they wouldn't want the rest of us to know exactly what could harm them! :D
> 
> 7/23/15: Fixed some minor mistakes and one continuity error that got past me. ^^

* * *

_When the younger man finally became aware of his surroundings, he stood in the doorway of the most erotically decorated bedroom he'd ever seen. The walls were covered in a rich burgundy wallpaper, the fourposter was made from cherry wood and mounded high with rich fabrics and down-filled pillows. It reeked of lust and the promise of all fantasies fulfilled. When he looked down at himself he found that he was...not wearing much._

 

_His chest was bare and his pants were made from a gossamer-thin see-through fabric that left absolutely nothing to the imagination...and nothing else! He thought he was alone as he stepped into the room with a bright blush dusting across his nose and cheeks. When he moved, he noticed that he jingled and he felt something slowly encircling his growing erection._

 

_He hurried into the room, finally realizing that there were a number of very fine floor-to-ceiling mirrors placed strategically around the area. He stepped up to one, fascinated by what he was wearing. He was dressed in a very fine collar made from what looked like woven gold and embellished with vibrant green and blue gemstones, 'Are they **real**?' He wore matching cuffs around both his wrists and ankles and on closer inspection there were small rings set into each piece. All of a sudden, he became aware of just how uncomfortable his arousal was growing and he pulled the pants away from his body far enough to see that he now sported a cock ring that matched the rest of the jewelry. _

 

“ _That bastard!” he gasped out loud and reached down to remove it._

 

“ _Language, language, Ichigo,” he jumped at the sound of Kisuke's sing-song voice and turned to see him leaning against the doorway Ichigo had rushed through. “Leave it alone,” he leered as he turned to shut and, Ichigo noticed, lock the door._

 

“ _Why?” he asked angrily. “And why am I wearing all of this?” the boy indicated his clothing...or lack thereof._

 

_Kisuke walked over to him and cupped the younger man's cheek with his hand as Ichigo unconsciously leaned in to the cool touch. The blonde smiled at the gesture. He was coming along well. Before long...he'd be begging Kisuke to Enthrall him. “You're dressed the way I wanted to see you tonight. Earlier I thought that these pieces would suit you and so when you stepped in here tonight, this is how you appeared.”_

 

“ _They're beautiful but what are they?” the boy asked in a flustered and suspicious tone._

 

“ _I think you may suspect what they were meant for originally,” he smiled at the younger man. “I acquired them while I was still alive and they were already considered antique then. You are the first person I've ever wanted to see wear them and I was right. They truly set off your beauty.”_

 

“ _Quit talking to me as if I was a girl!” Ichigo ground out._

 

“ _Oh, Ichigo, I am thoroughly convinced you are in no way female,” Kisuke said softly as he brushed a finger against the younger man's arousal, causing Ichigo to groan. He slid his hand over to take Ichigo's and led him to stand with his back to the bed. Kisuke began to run his hands over the boy's torso as he faced him, enjoying the feel of the younger man's skin under his fingertips._

 

“ _I don't understand why people assign gender to certain words. Beauty is not a purely feminine word and applies to both men and women.” He leaned forward to place a gentle kiss against Ichigo's lips, “You. Are. Beautiful,” he whispered between kisses. He turned Ichigo to face one of the mirrors and, standing behind him, he ran his hands down to the boy's waist and slowly pulled his loose pants down, revealing him in all of his glory, “You. Are. Desirable,” he kissed the base of Ichigo's neck. “And I want you **so** much,” Kisuke groaned as he moved and lowered the younger man down onto the bed while he hovered over him and continued petting him. _

 

_The blonde leaned down and once again captured Ichigo's lips as his hands continued to wander where they pleased. Ichigo opened his mouth to tempt Kisuke's tongue to play as he raised his hands to grip the older man's shoulders. Kisuke smiled triumphantly as he fondled the boy's balls, massaging around and under, causing the younger man to whimper and buck upwards. He then began to firmly stroke Ichigo's stiff member, even though he knew Ichigo wouldn't be able to find release due to the cock ring._

 

_Before long the boy was a writhing mess beneath Kisuke, vocalizing his pleasure loudly, completely lost to the sensations his lover was rousing in him. He didn't care where he was and he didn't care who heard him. All he needed and wanted was **more** ; more touch, more warmth, more friction, more...everything!_

 

_Kisuke was quite happy to give it to him as he began to move with him, allowing their arousal's to rub together in the most satisfying of ways. The older man ground their hips together, moving faster and faster until the boy seriously thought he was losing his mind and then Kisuke reached down and removed the ring. Ichigo's body spasmed and he saw white as he shot streams of thick cum over both their chests; the blonde following him over the edge and adding his release to Ichigo's._

 

_As they lay panting, Kisuke impulsively scooped a little of their combined cum and smeared it along Ichigo's lips; the boy unconsciously licking them clean while his eyes remained shut. The older man was intrigued, so he smeared some more on just to have the boy lick his mouth clean again. Then he bent down to lick his younger lover clean and right after sealed their mouths together in order for them to share their tastes, causing a groan to escape Ichigo. As Kisuke pulled away, he gazed down into hazy brown eyes and asked, “You enjoyed?” and at the younger man's dazed nod he smiled. “How would you like to try fellatio?”_

 

_When it dawned on Ichigo what the other man meant, he scrunched his nose in disgust. “What? You obviously liked the taste of our release, why not indulge yourself at the source...and please me as well?” he asked with a soft kind of amusement._

 

_Ichigo took some time thinking it over, “What do I have to do?” Even though the idea was gross to him, Ichigo suddenly wanted to go down on the older man, he wanted to please Kisuke. To give back all the pleasure the man had given to him._

 

_Kisuke sat up and pulled off his kimono as he motioned for Ichigo to settle between his legs on the bed. “I think you know the concept of what a blow job is, yes?”_

 

_At the younger man's nod he continued, “Just do what you think feels good. Think about what feels good when you jerk yourself off in the bathroom,” he paused when he saw the younger man's look of horror. “Oh I know you do it! All boys your age do! Just apply your mouth rather than your hand and have at it, Beautiful.”_

 

_Ichigo wasn't so sure about the the endearment but he decided to ignore it in favor of the twitching member waving in front of his face. He saw it visibly hardening and lengthening as he watched. He looked up to meet the blonde's eyes and gave him a quirky (and very sexy) grin. Then, while maintaining eye contact he lowered his mouth over the head and lightly sucked. The action caused both men to groan and the younger one began to slide up and down the shaft, slowly building his pace as he experimented. Very soon, he was sliding the entire length eagerly into his mouth and down his throat; applying a light suction as he pulled off and relaxing when he went down._

 

_Kisuke couldn't restrain himself for long and he wrapped his hand into the soft orange spikes as he began to slowly thrust. This seemed to excite the younger man and Ichigo groaned as he began to move faster until both of Urahara's hands were tangled in his hair holding his head still while the older man bucked into his mouth, harder and harder until all the younger man could do was hold on and let Kisuke have his way with him._

 

_When the blonde shouted and froze, Ichigo felt the cum begin to spurt and eagerly started to swallow; gulping down the older man's release as if it were ambrosia. Once Kisuke was finished and began to soften, Ichigo very competently cleaned him and crawled up to lay next to the blonde; the older man wrapping his arms around the boy's waist and snuggling close. “Kisuke...has anyone ever told you that you taste wonderful?” the soft question floated up out of the mess of orange that was now spread across his chest._

 

“ _Uh, uh. I believe this is the first,” he answered roguishly with a smile in his voice._

 

“ _I think I could totally live off of your cum,” the embarrassed yet satisfied murmur sounded._

 

“ _I'll remember that,” he whispered back in amusement as they drifted off, both completely sated._

* * *

The next morning Ichigo woke up early with a smile on his face. It took a few minutes to realize that he'd come in his sleep again. He sighed, too content to worry over much about it at the moment, 'I'm starting to get used to waking this way.' He finally got up and grabbed his uniform before hurrying to the bathroom to take a quick shower.

 

As he bathed he thought about the night before. He'd meant to ask Kisuke about what he'd read before falling asleep but the older man had thrown him for a loop by changing his outfit. 'What was that shit he dressed me in? Slave jewelry!?!' he growled in frustration. “Bastard!”

 

He stewed over it for a minute and then it dawned on him that the pieces must be worth a fortune, 'Why would he want to dress me in that? Did he really think I looked good in them...or was it a control thing?'

 

'Damn it, I need to talk to him and I can guess what's gong to happen every time we meet at night!' As he finished up, he decided on a plan of action for this evening. With a new found resolve he headed downstairs to talk his father into giving him Urahara's address.

* * *

Later that day Kisuke was having his first cup of tea when his office door opened. Yes, Tes...?” he trailed off when he saw the one person he wanted to see the most standing behind his bodyguard.

 

“Ichigo-kun? Come in, come in. Thank you Tessai, you may go now,” he stood up to usher the young man inside; happy to see him but puzzled as well.

 

“Thank you Urahara-san,” the younger man nervously moved to sit down in front of his desk, prompting Kisuke to sit back where he'd been to begin with.

 

“So, what brings you by?” the blonde asked curiously.

 

“I know that what I'm about to say is going to sound absolutely insane and I hate doing it because I know you were interested in hiring me for the summer, and I could use the job. If you change your mind, I won't blame you at all, but I have to know for sure. I've been having dreams that center around you and I need to know...” he trailed off, unsure how to continue.

 

Kisuke sat back and briefly toyed with teasing the young man but he realized that Ichigo was seriously worried, so he decided against his first impulse. “If they're real?” he finished the younger man's thought for him. Ichigo nodded firmly and maintained eye contact to show he was prepared for any possible answer. “Yes, they are as real as dreams get.”

 

At the boy's frozen look he smirked and continued, “Yes, I am a Vampire. From the first moment I saw you I realized you were different...special, and I decided to turn you into my Thrall. That does not mean that you will be a mindless slave or toy, nor do I consider you either of those things. However, I do want you. I want to fuck you every night for the rest of your life, and yes, on Friday I plan on sealing the deal. Is that all you wanted to know?” he finished conversationally.

 

Ichigo was left with his mouth hanging open as he slowly caught up to what the older man was saying and finally heaved a sigh of relief and returned the older man's smile with a smirk of his own, “So I'm not crazy?”

 

When Kisuke shook his head, he continued, “Good but there's more I need to know. Last night I wanted to ask you some questions but things got out of hand. I realized this morning that if I ever want to get straight answers to my questions, I'll have to ask them when we're both awake. That's why I decided to come here instead.”

 

Urahara tilted his head as he settled back in his chair, “What do you want to know?”

 

“As a Vampire I know you're long-lived but are you truly immortal?”

 

“Vampires can be killed, but it takes a lot to do it.”

 

“Vampires drink blood, correct?” At Urahara's nod he continued, “What does it do for you? Other than food, I mean. If you refuse to drink blood, will you die?”

 

“Blood essentially sustains us. If we couldn't drink any blood, we wouldn't die, we would enter a kind of stasis. Our bodies would shut down and wither, but as soon as we had fresh blood, we would re-animate.”

 

Kisuke frowned, “I'm not exactly certain why that is. Blood does not pump through my veins, my heart does not beat; and yet still, I thrive because I drink it.”

 

“Do you have to kill your prey? Is human blood the only kind you can drink? And how much do you have to drink?” Ichigo asked warily. This was the tricky part; no matter how fascinated he was, he wasn't suicidal.

 

“No, I do not. Human is preferable but not exclusive. I do not need very much, only enough to fill a standard sized wine glass. I drink blood to survive and that is all.”

 

When Ichigo didn't speak again, the blonde asked, “Is there anything else you wanted to know?”

 

“Yeah, so much. I read that Vampires are either cursed or possessed by demonic entities, that religious items can harm you, and that you can't enter any kind of religious structure. Is that true?”

 

Kisuke grinned at the boy's curiosity, “I am not exactly sure **why** we are here; but I do not believe that we are either possessed or cursed by demons. I am essentially the same man I was when I was alive; a human with faults who tried to live the best life he could. We are not purely evil beings...although some of our kind are worse than others,” he added darkly.

 

“Since we are not demonic, religious items, symbolism, or buildings do nothing to us. However we can not enter a residence without being invited in first. A wooden stake through the heart is ineffectual, although it does hurt like a bitch,” he grinned at Ichigo's look of surprise at his choice of words. “And silver does absolutely nothing...although it **does** look good on me!” he grinned impishly at the younger man.

 

“So I guess garlic is a bunch of bullshit too?” Ichigo asked a little sheepishly.

 

Kisuke laughed, “I rather like garlic actually. Especially in spaghetti!”

 

The younger man bowed his head as he thought about his next question. “Why can't you go out during the day?” he cut his eyes back up to the other man's sharply.

 

“Because my dear boy, I'd die,” he answered simply.

 

“How can **that** kill Vampires when so much else doesn't?” Ichigo just looked exasperated now.

 

Kisuke shrugged, “I've never completely figured it out, Ichigo. Back when I was first turned, it was believed that Vampires were created from fallen or cursed souls. Recently, in fiction, some have tried to trace vampirism to Lilith or Cain and Abel. I don't know the origins of my kind, who the first was, or why they came to exist. I just know that we do. There aren't that many of us powerful enough to do large scale damage to the human world. Most of us would like to live in peace, if allowed. I know I would,” he muttered almost to himself. “Unfortunately it doesn't look like that will happen anytime soon.”

 

Then he turned serious, “It's obvious you've been researching the myths on my kind. Why all the questions? Are you trying to figure out a way to get rid of me?” he smiled a little morosely.

 

Ichigo shook his head in denial, “No! If I let this...thing...go forward, I need to know what I'm getting myself in to.” He looked down at his hands, “The deeper I get, the less I **want** to run away,” and he gave the blonde a crooked grin.

 

“You're trying to decide whether or not to trust me?” Kisuke asked quietly and the younger man nodded.

 

“What else do you want to know?” He didn't want to give it away but the young man had just given him the greatest gift he'd ever received. He knew just how hard it was for him to trust anyone and he suspected the young man sitting before him had the same kind of difficulties. And yet Ichigo was willing to enter into a relationship with what was undeniably an unnatural creature and was ready to freely hand over his trust. It was a gift the blonde would never betray.

 

“Why is your skin so cool?” Kisuke looked totally surprised by that question.

 

“I feel cool to the touch in your dreams?” he asked, his mouth agape.

 

Ichigo nodded as he replied, “Not just in my dreams, but yes. The first time your fingers were like ice, since then they've been cool; not icy,” he shrugged. “I was curious.”

 

Kisuke thought how best to answer this one, “As I said before, Ichigo, my heart doesn't beat and blood doesn't pump through my veins. Because of this I cannot hold on to body heat. When I feed, my body warms up to almost normal for a little while but then it fades. The better the meal, the longer the warmth lasts.” After a pause he continued, “It's surprising that you noticed it. Dream walking doesn't usually allow for that kind of awareness.”

 

“Huh. I have just a few more questions. Is that alright?” Kisuke nodded so Ichigo continued, “Can you eat regular food?” He was thinking about how the meal Friday would go.

 

“Yes I can, but it has no nutritive value for me,” the older man answered; figuring out why that question was asked. “I won't insult your sister, my dear.”

 

“But, you enjoy it...and it tastes good?”

 

“Yes I can and it does, Ichigo-kun.”

 

“...Could you just call me Ichigo?” he asked, without skipping a beat.

 

“Only if you call me Kisuke. But during your working hours with me, I do expect to be addressed more formally.”

 

“Of course,” he said. “Um...how are Vampires created?”

 

Kisuke looked at him sharply but only saw curiosity so he answered, “Simply put, I would bite and feed off of you to the point of death and then you would return the favor as your body died. Once the little death was achieved, you would reawaken as a Vampire. That is how it is usually done. It can take up to three days for a new Vampire to awaken. The first feeding after awakening is always frenzied and it's up to the Sire to protect and guide his newly created Offspring into finding their first meal. That first meal must be fresh **and** human but after that it can be from any mammal.”

 

Ichigo swallowed, “Does that first meal kill the...um,” his voice faded as he tried to figure out the proper way to word the question.

 

“It doesn't have to, that's why the Sire is there. Yes, the Offspring has to feed to replace his blood-loss but the Sire is required to provide enough humans to satisfy the hunger without allowing anyone to die. Most Vampires are civilized creatures and abhor unnecessary killing. It's very unwise to leave a bloody mess; it makes the living very angry.”

 

Ichigo thought over what the blonde had said and nodded that he understood. He sat quietly until one more pressing question popped up, “About Friday...I know you're coming to dinner and after that we 'seal the deal' as you so elegantly put it a minute ago. How does that happen?”

 

Kisuke sighed as he sat back with a worried frown, he wasn't sure how Ichigo would take this part, “Friday night after dinner, we'll send everyone to bed and then you will leave with me. I wish the conjunction wasn't happening before your school let out, but that's something that can't be helped. We will go to my home and engage in intercourse. There will be a lot of foreplay to build the energy and excitement of the act. When the time is right, I will bite you and drink from you...and then you will drink from me. It won't be a huge amount, I promise. The sharing of each other's blood is what seals the act of defilement and that's what makes you mine.”

 

“Defilement?” the boy asked with raised brows. Then he realized what the man had just said, “Whoa, whoa, whoa! You said I'll have to-to-to do it too!?!” he squeaked. “But won't that make me like you? You just said you wouldn't do that!” Kisuke made a shushing sound and waved the boy back into his seat.

 

“Let me finish before you panic, please. First, no you won't be turned into a Vampire. Neither of us are drinking enough to bring about that change. It will only be a very small amount, Ichigo. Just enough to cement my claim on you, to connect us. There will be a **few** changes, but you will certainly remain human.”

 

“Like what?” the boy asked warily, looking as if he'd bolt if the wrong words came out of the blonde's mouth.

 

“You'll heal extremely quickly. We will be able to communicate with each other no matter where we are in the world. And you will age exceptionally slowly,” Kisuke listed off. “You will become what is known as a Thrall; something between Human and Vampire.”

 

When Ichigo sat back in his chair and slowly gestured for him to proceed, the Vampire sighed in relief and continued, “As for the rest...I'll be your first...in every way, Ichigo. Some would call my taking your virginity an act of defilement because of what I am. In some eyes the fact that you are, knowingly and willingly allowing a monster such as myself to do this to you makes the act even more depraved.

 

“In the past, when people actually believed in Vampires, if this was revealed, it would have brought about not only my torture and death, but yours as well. You would have been called Satan's harlot and tortured both psychologically, and sexually before being burnt at the stake. This isn't something to be taken lightly, even if we do now live in more enlightened times.”

 

Ichigo shuddered and swallowed convulsively, trying to get the bad taste out of his mouth, “Torture? Shit,” he said softly as he absorbed the information. He raised his eyes to meet Urahara's directly and said, “Then what happens?”

 

The blonde tilted his head with a surprised look, “You're not going to go running screaming from my home? For most people that explanation would have been the deal breaker.”

 

Ichigo smirked at the older man, “It's a good thing I'm not most people then...right? If you’re trying to scare me away, it won't work. I think I can trust you, maybe. As far as I can tell, you've never lied to me and have tried to prepare me. What else do I need to know?”

 

Kisuke closed his eyes, almost dizzy with relief and continued, “When you leave your father's house Friday night, you will not return...at least not to live there. Of course I'd never expect you to cut all ties to your family, but you **will** live with me.”

 

Ichigo frowned and leaned forward as he asked, “What will we tell everyone?”

 

“When your family goes to bed, they will believe that you're simply retiring for the night. From that point on all of their memories will include you. If asked, they will swear that you've been going about your daily routine. They will be able to give details and the times of when they saw you. They will insist that you had breakfast with them; helped to do the dishes at night. As far as they will know you will remain a part of their lives.” He laughed when he saw Ichigo's confused look, “It helps that I'm a Vampire. You're the only one I can't control this way!

 

“Because of the nature of what is going to happen, there will be a period of adjustment. This should last at least a couple of weeks,” Kisuke continued. “Once that is done, you will be able to pick up your life where you left off. There will be no issues about you finishing high school, going to college or having a career. I will back your choices completely, Ichigo.”

 

The younger man looked relieved and then he responded, “Wait a minute, Kisuke! I have a little under two weeks left of this semester before summer break. I can't miss them!”

 

The blonde grinned apologetically, “That's why I said I wished the timing was better, Ichi-chan!” He continued while ignoring the boy's look of irritation at the nickname, “As far as anyone will be aware, you will be living at home and will be attending school. You will take your finals and will pass them all with grades that reflect your knowledge and ability. No one will realize that you're not there and reasonable grades will be entered into the system to prove that you were present the whole time.”

 

“So I'm cut out of everyone's life...only not. And what will I actually be doing while I'm supposedly there?” the boy asked, his head reeling with the information.

 

“Now my dear boy, I can't ruin all the surprises...can I?” Kisuke asked, back to his playful self.

 

Ichigo rolled his eyes at the other man's attitude as he tried to hide his own smile. When push came to shove he really didn't care that he would miss school. He would much rather spend the time with his lover being screwed into every available surface the house had to offer. Really, what was the point of being a horny teenager if he couldn't **enjoy** being a horny teenager?

 

There were really only two things that freaked him out about the whole situation: having to drink blood, 'Yuck!' and no one realizing he wasn't around anymore. At least no one would worry about him or try to find him. But that could backfire. Kisuke could just kill him and no one would ever know. What it all boiled down to was trust. Did he actually trust this man? “Fine, surprise me then.” As weird as it was, the answer was yes.

 

Ichigo remembered the night before which caused one more question to be blurted out accusingly, “Why was I dressed that way last night?”

 

Kisuke grinned wolfishly at the younger man, “I was wondering when that might come up. Back when I was alive, I came across that set of Roman concubine jewelry and bought it because I thought it was beautiful. I believed it would make you even more beautiful to be decked out in it; and I was right. By the way, there are more pieces that I did not dress you in. Maybe you can appear in them tonight?”

 

“I **knew** it. That shit had to be slave crap!” he ran his hand through his hair, disarranging it even more; flustered by the man's words and confused by his actions. “I won't be a fucking sex slave to you, old man! Forget that!”

 

Urahara shook his head in mock despair, “Ichigo, I should wash your mouth out with soap! I don't want a sex slave. I want you, as you are; prickles and all! Although at some point I thought a little role-play might be fun?” he asked impishly.

 

That caught Ichigo's interest, if against his will, “What do you mean?”

 

Kisuke walked over to the younger man and grabbed his wrists, lifting him up and pressing him to his body, “Shall I show you tonight? Would you like that?” he asked huskily.

 

Ichigo leaned forward and buried his nose in the older man's neck as he inhaled with a sigh, “You smell so good, I hadn't noticed it before. You smell almost as good as you taste,” his voice had dropped in pitch to the point that Ichigo almost didn't recognize it himself.

 

Kisuke lowered his hands to firmly grip the younger man's ass and mesh their lower halves together. He asked as he ground against him, “Would you like to play some here for awhile? Or do you want to wait until tonight?”

 

Ichigo's eyes were hungry as he moved his hips against the blonde, “Let's play, now. I want to feel and see the real you, not the dream you. I know you wanted to do it that way to keep from scaring me off. I don't think that's possible anymore, Kisuke.”

 

“It wasn't just to keep from scaring you, Ichigo. We can not finish this until Friday at midnight. I don't want to be tempted in doing too much too soon. I want you so badly,” he groaned, “but I can not take your virginity until then.”

 

“There's a significance about Friday?” The boy asked in curiosity.

 

“That night is the night of both a full moon and a lunar eclipse. If I Enthrall you at its apex, the influences of the moon and eclipse will form the strongest bond imaginable. The kind that no one can tear asunder.”

 

Ichigo lowered his head onto the blonde's shoulder and sighed, “I love how you talk sometimes Kisuke. It's been so long since I felt this...I don't know...cherished?”

 

As he pulled away he smirked, “If you don't want to be tempted, I have to leave **now**. But at least I won't be the only one with blue balls. I'll see ya tonight, lover.” And with that parting shot he strolled out of the room and a few minutes later, the blonde heard the door quietly close.

 


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 7/23/15: Fixed a few errors.

 

* * *

When Ichigo went to bed that night, he remembered some of the information he'd read on lucid dreaming and decided to experiment. As he drifted off to sleep he held an image of how he'd been dressed the previous night. 'Or how I **wasn't** dressed,' was his last thought as he drifted off to sleep.

 

_Once he was certain he'd entered his dream-scape he continued to visualize the jewelry until he felt the cock ring tighten around him; then he opened his eyes and stepped into the room. He admitted to himself that he was curious about what Kisuke had planned and had decided to try and work with him this time. He could always say no next time if he didn't like it. For reasons he didn't want to think about too deeply, he believed that he wouldn't want to say no._

 

_It was the same room from the night before and when Ichigo glanced into one of the mirrors, he did a double take. He was completely naked except for the jewelry and as Kisuke had said, there was more than he had been dressed in yesterday. Along with the collar and cuffs from the day before, he was also draped in a woven jeweled belt and had intricately woven hand and foot coverings that attached to the cuffs and were held onto the backs of his hands and feet by rings that he wore around his middle fingers and toes. He had to admit to himself that in a blatantly sexual way, it was quite beautiful. He had always thought of his body as boring, but he was beginning to revise his opinion, if only a little. He shook his head to clear it and turned from the mirror to spy Kisuke, still fully dressed in tight black pants and an untucked dark green poet's shirt, lounging on the bed._

 

“ _You look incredible, Ichigo,” he said while raking his eyes over the young man hungrily. “There's one piece I left off as I was pretty sure it would not meet with your approval.”_

 

_Ichigo raised his eyebrows, “And what was that, Kisuke?”_

 

“ _A set of jeweled nipple rings and chains.” As he spoke they appeared in his hands, “If you were to wear them in reality, it would require your nipples to be pierced and I didn't think you'd appreciate that.”_

 

_Ichigo cringed slightly and nodded in agreement, “Yeah...no; at least outside of here. In here...I have to admit...I wouldn't mind it so much,” he finished a little hesitantly while blushing slightly._

 

“ _Then will you allow me my little quirk?” Kisuke asked and Ichigo nodded. He watched the jewelry disappear from his lover's hands and then felt a slight pinch that settled into a steady weight from his nipples and when he looked in the mirror again, he got the full effect of the jewelry._

 

“ _Wow,” he said in surprise. He really looked...good this way. 'How weird,' he thought, fascinated._

 

“ _Ichigo,” the blonde began as he led the young man over to the bed, “do you understand the concept of role-play?” When the younger man nodded Kisuke grinned, “And how does one so young and innocent as you know about this kind of thing, hm?”_

 

“ _Sh-shut up!” Ichigo spluttered as he turned beet-red. “I have friends you know!” When he saw Kisuke's impish grin, he scowled and explained, “A few times a friend of mine, Keigo, roped me into watching some porn.” If anything his blush deepened. “One time there was a role-play scene going on. I-it was a teacher/student thing.”_

 

“ _I see. A teacher/student **thing**? Did that turn you on? Hm?” Kisuke's tone was unmercifully teasing. _

 

“ _Since it was a straight movie...not much,” Ichigo snorted. “But at least I sort of know where you might be going with this.” He kept his eyes focused off to the side, too embarrassed to meet the older man's face._

 

_Kisuke's teasing look softened as he gripped the younger man's chin and made him look at him straight on. “Good. You've probably guessed that I want to play out a master/slave scenario. Are you willing to put yourself into my hands, Boy?”_

 

_Startled, Ichigo looked at him in annoyance, “Boy!?! What will you do to me?” Now there was a healthy dose of caution to his expression. “I'm not so sure...”_

 

“ _Simply put,” Kisuke began in a soft voice, “I want you to completely place yourself into my hands. Give yourself over to me and let me bring you the most profound pleasure possible. I want you to believe that I will never deliberately hurt you.” Kisuke looked deeply into the boy's eyes, “I want you to trust me, Ichigo.”_

 

_Ichigo closed his eyes and shuddered at the images the older man conjured in his imagination. This level of trust did not come easily to him and he took a minute to think things through. He had decided to become this man's Thrall which basically meant the same thing...complete trust. He knew on a basic level that Kisuke meant every word he said and that he'd never maliciously do anything to him. It dawned on Ichigo that he had become completely ensnared by this man without even realizing what was happening._

 

_When he looked back at Kisuke, he had made up his mind, “What do I have to do?”_

 

_Kisuke smiled and leaned in to gently kiss the younger man. When he pulled back he said, “I'd like you to think of a word that you would never use in this kind of situation and tell me what it is please. If it gets to be too much, say it and I'll stop.”_

 

“ _A safe word, huh?” Ichigo frowned as he thought. “How about sushi? I don't think that's something that might come up in here, do you?”_

 

_Kisuke laughed, “So you know what a safe word is? How much bondage porn have you seen?” When he saw just how embarrassed Ichigo was he continued without waiting for a reply, “Sushi it is then.”_

 

_He suddenly stood up, serious and masterful, falling into his role naturally, “Ichigo from here on you will refer to me as Master or Sir, do I make myself clear?” When the boy nodded Kisuke continued, “I need you on the bed, slave. Lay down on your back.” When Ichigo didn't respond right away, he cleared his throat and the boy jumped._

 

“ _Oh, right! Yes Master,” he quickly answered and scooted into the middle of the bed in the position indicated._

 

_Kisuke took one of his wrists and fastened it to the headboard, quickly followed by the other. When both the boy's wrists were restrained, he moved to the side of the bed and gently bent Ichigo's leg so that his foot was flat on the mattress and his leg was bent at an angle so as to display himself to the fullest. Then he attached another chain to the ankle cuff so that the boy couldn't straighten his leg out. The blonde walked quickly around to the other side of the bed and secured that leg in the same way._

 

“ _How does that feel?” he asked. “Are you comfortable, Boy?” he clarified when he noticed the bewildered look on Ichigo's face._

 

“ _It's not uncomfortable,” Ichigo began, “but did you have to spread me out like this? I feel...so exposed.”_

 

_Kisuke the lecher was back with a leer, “That's the whole point, Ichi-chan. You need to become comfortable with me seeing you like this, touching you in such intimate areas,” he followed his words with the appropriate actions, gently stroking along the boy's inner thigh and following through with the occasional kiss placed near his groin. Ichigo's legs began to shake slightly in need. “Unless you want it, no one but I will ever see you like this, Ichigo...there's no need to be embarrassed. It's only me after all. Now, shall we begin?”_

 

_All the younger man could do was nod. Kisuke started slowly, beginning tonight's lesson with a kiss that deepened quickly as Ichigo opened up to him. While the blonde kept him busy, kissing him senseless, he shifted so that his hand moved to pull on the nipple chains which elicited the most wonderful moans from the younger man. Kisuke finally pulled away from the boy's sinful mouth and began to move down his body, pausing to lick and nip around the rings, causing Ichigo to scream for more. The blonde raised his head to look deeply into warm chocolate brown eyes and he maintained eye contact as he lowered himself to face Ichigo's rigid erection._

 

_However once there, he didn't touch it. He moved lower down and gently sucked on the younger man's balls, first one and then the other were given special attention. The muscles in the boy's legs were quivering nonstop and Kisuke noticed Ichigo was spreading his legs further apart. He smiled as he nuzzled against the boy's throbbing and leaking member which was aching for him to relieve it. Once again he pulled away and reached down the side of the bed for the lube._

 

_Even though this wasn't happening in the waking world, he knew from experience that if not properly prepared in the dream-scape, the pain could carry over into reality and as aware as Ichigo was when he dream walked, Kisuke didn't want to hurt the boy, only show him pure pleasure. So he let Ichigo see what he was doing and his eyes widened as he watched Kisuke spread the lube liberally on both his fingers and his cock. For the first time the younger man got a good look at how well-endowed his lover was and he was grateful for the lube, even if it seemed unnecessary under the circumstances._

 

_When Ichigo felt the first finger breach him, he groaned. It wasn't painful or bad exactly...it felt weird. Then he felt the next and that caused a tugging sensation within him. Once the third finger entered and he was being truly opened up, all he could think about was how good it felt to be full and how much better it'd feel once Kisuke took him. He had begun to push onto the fingers inside him when he felt a sudden jolt of pleasure and cried out while trying to get more of that sensation._

 

“ _That's right Ichigo, just feel me inside of you. Know that I'm about to fill you even more. I'm going to ride you so hard; I'm going to push you and push you until you know nothing but me, see no one but me, and crave only me and how I can make you feel.” As Kisuke finished speaking, he pulled away from the boy and Ichigo whimpered at the loss, but before he could say a word he was filled once again and it was more and better and deeper and the pleasure exploded around him as Kisuke slammed into his body over and over; hammering away until Ichigo knew nothing but what he was feeling._

 

_And then, when Ichigo thought he couldn't take the pleasure for another second the cock ring was removed and he screamed. He was nothing but a mass of overwhelming feeling as lights exploded in front of his eyes and his body coiled in on itself and then released along with his continued wails as he completely came apart. Before he could remotely begin to put words together his prostate was hit again and Kisuke was coming inside him as Ichigo screamed again and again while the pleasure filled him to overflowing. Ichigo felt Kisuke collapse beside him and gather him into his arms after unfastening his restraints, continually crooning sweet words into his ear, but he couldn't make any of it out. He was in a void of peace, completely safe and secure as he drifted off into a deep sleep and back out of the dream._

* * *

Ichigo woke on Wednesday morning stiff and sore. He knew he was nowhere near as sore as he'd be once he actually had full-blown sex with his lover but he was stiff enough to groan as he rolled over and checked the time. For some reason he'd woken up early every day this week and today was no exception. The morning cleanups were now a regular routine and he found that he really didn't mind all that much. He hurried to the bathroom to grab a quick shower and then went back to his room to strip his bed and finish getting ready for the day.

 

Once downstairs he tried to grab a fast breakfast but his father wouldn't let him and he was plunked down onto a kitchen chair as food was placed in front of him by Yuzu. His other sister, Karin, just rolled her eyes at the antics taking place in front of her and kept eating.

 

“So, Ichigo, have you thought about the summer job?” Isshin asked him.

 

Ichigo looked blank for a moment and then he nodded as he began to eat, “Yes,” he croaked. He tried to clear his throat and continued, “I think I'm gonna take it.” He noticed how happy his father was and he couldn't help but feel a little guilty; he wasn't fond of deception, or especially good at it. “I spoke to Urahara-san yesterday and he filled me in a bit more on what will be expected of me. I think after school lets out, he's gonna need me to stay there.”

 

“Really? How strange,” his father frowned.

 

“It's not actually,” Ichigo hastened to reassure the man. “He keeps very strange hours so it makes sense for him to have someone around who can answer concerns while he's unavailable.”

 

“Oh! Yeah, I didn't think about his sun allergy. Even if he gets just a little exposure, it can cause him a great deal of pain. It's no fun for the man, let me tell you.”

 

“What exactly does he have?” Ichigo asked, curious to see what Kisuke had come up with.

 

“Porphyria Cutanea Tarda is what it's called. Now try saying that five times fast!” Isshin grinned. “Seriously though, it can be very difficult to manage. That's why he's never out before dark. It's terribly severe and painful for him.”

 

Isshin sighed dramatically, “I suppose there's no helping it, you'll have to stay there. I hope you don't get too homesick!” he cried plaintively as he hurried to tell the poster of their mother all about his chance at the job.

 

Ichigo looked at his sisters who both ignored their father as they finished their breakfasts. He decided that they had the right idea as he hurried to finish his as well.

* * *

“Rukia-chan! Rukia-chan!” Rukia turned when she heard Orihime calling to her from about a block away. She waited with a smile as the girl hurried up to her.

 

“Good morning, Orihime,” she responded with a small smile. The busty girl was just too cute sometimes. “How are you today? And where's Uryuu?”

 

“He had a breakfast meeting with his father over which university he's going to attend,” she gave her friend a mock sorrowful look. “They have this...talk...about every other week. Uryuu knows what he wants and he's been accepted into one of the best schools that can get him there. Of course his father is hung up on Uryuu following in his footsteps even though he's clearly not interested.”

 

Rukia sighed; she could well understand Uryuu's frustration. Her family was hell bent on her going into business and all she wanted to do was draw. Her brother was taking her to Europe for the summer to give everyone a break and try to find some kind of resolution. “Families **can** be irritating sometimes you know. Just do your best to support him and it'll all come out alright in the end.”

 

The other girl smiled a bit drolly, “Without any broken bones, I hope.” They walked along in companionable silence until they noticed the group of boys ahead of them.

 

When Rukia saw that it was their group of friends and Renji was among them, she wanted to hurry up, but Orihime held her back. She looked up at the girl curiously and Orihime asked with a slight blush, “Have you noticed any difference with Kurosaki-kun lately? Something about him has changed.”

 

Rukia shook her head and stayed back to observe her friend. He didn't look any different except that he would need a haircut before the fall semester began. However as she watched she realized just what Orihime meant. There was an air of confidence about him that hadn't been there before. He still had the same cranky expression and 'I don't give a fuck' attitude, but the way he moved, how he held himself absolutely screamed, 'I am the king of my world!' “I see what you mean Orihime, I wonder what's happened.”

 

Orihime's eyes grew wide as she spun to face Rukia, “Do you think he's got a girlfriend?”

 

Rukia grimaced at her friend, “It would have to be a boyfriend and he hasn't said anything.”

 

The orange haired girl looked a little abashed, “But would he? He's not one to go on about his conquests.”

 

“I don't think he's ever had any to go on about,” the petite brunette answered dryly. She began to smile evilly, “This truly bears some looking in to!”

* * *

Kisuke was woken early by Tessai knocking on his door to tell him that Yoruichi had arrived with her report. He quickly dressed in his favorite lounge wear and met her in his private sitting room. “Do you have information for me, Yoruichi-san?” he asked eagerly.

 

She looked him over, taking in the green kimono, hakama and brown haori, “You seriously need a new outfit. This one's wearing out.” He grumbled about how comfortable it was as they sat down.

 

She grew unnaturally serious, “It isn't good, Kisuke,” she began.

 

He hated it when she started out with statements like that! “Give it to me straight and I'll decide how bad it is,” he lightly reprimanded his friend.

 

“Masaki Kurosaki was a beautiful, strong, and vibrant young woman. She was orphaned when she was fifteen, finished high school and put herself through college all on her own. She met Isshin during her second year of college and it was love at first sight. Ichigo was born right before their first anniversary and the twins came four years later. She was murdered when the boy was nine.”

 

She paused to take a sip of the tea Tessai had just set down before continuing, “They were headed home from a local dojo where Ichigo was learning self-defense. It looked like some kind of drugged up mugging gone wrong, but it was much worse than that.

 

“There was a rogue Were running amok in Karakura at the time. He was being pursued by two of my pack's best scouts. By the time they located him, Masaki was dead, her son was holding her body and trying to wake her up and the Were had literally been ripped in two. No one knew exactly what had happened. Ichigo was so traumatized that he didn't speak for almost a year after the incident. When he finally did begin to talk again, he said that one minute he saw his mother's body flying through the air and the next, her attacker was dead nearby. As far as anyone knows, he never did remember.”

 

Kisuke was frowning, his chest tight as he thought about the little boy trying to wake his dead mother, “Was she a Hunter?”

 

Yoruichi shook her head, “Her parents were known Hunters. They died in pursuit of a Vampire master who was killing indiscriminately. She never awoke to her powers, though. She died first and then her killer; with the boy as the only witness.”

 

“And he blocked it out?” Kisuke asked sharply.

 

“It seems that way,” she hesitantly replied.

 

“Ok...what aren't you telling me?” the blonde inquired intently.

 

“When I finally tracked down the Were team that had been following the rogue, they insisted that the boy had taken him out. That his latent powers activated and killed the one who had killed his mother.”

 

Kisuke leaned back and rubbed the bridge of his nose as he considered the story. “I don't see why you're so worried.”

 

“Kisuke, open your eyes! First, if the boy's powers are still dormant, when you claim him he'll be forced to awaken and the backwash from them could kill you. And if they are already activated, he could kill you when you try to claim him. He won't even know he's doing it until it's too late! It'll be completely out of his control.”

 

He considered her words and rejected them, literally waving them off with his hand, “I can handle a little thing like that. I'll just make sure to take the necessary precautions. I understand your worry, but I don't believe it'll be a problem, Yoruichi.”

 

“I knew you'd say that, baka!” she put her head in her hands. She raised her head, glaring, “What if you're wrong, what then? If he does care about you and ends up killing you by accident, how do you think that'll affect him? Please reconsider what you're planning! Delay it until the conjunction occurs again.”

 

Kisuke gazed at her steadily as he coldly answered, “You **do** know who I am, correct? He will neither hurt me nor himself. I won't allow it. Besides, I can't wait; it must happen now. Don't worry Yoruichi, I'll be careful.”

 

“Why!?!” she snapped, her eyes flashing in anger and frustration. 'The arrogant idiot...he's too sure of himself!' However, his next words completely took her breath away and silenced her objections.

 

“Because...I think I **may** be falling in love with him.”

 

Although the worry was still evident, she couldn't hide her smile, “That's a first.”

 

He looked at her seriously, “He's not the first...but he may be the last.”

* * *

That night Kisuke arrived at his hiding place after Ichigo had gone to bed. Once he was certain the boy was deeply asleep, he flowed into his room and settled beside him on his bed. He needed to be as physically close to Ichigo as possible to ensure that his sleep was deep enough to keep him from waking too soon. Tonight was supposed to be another training lesson, but they needed to talk first and the blonde wasn't looking forward to it. Kisuke relaxed his mind and surprisingly easily flowed into Ichigo's consciousness. It was obvious that the boy had already accepted his presence in his life or the entry would never have been so seamless.

 

_This time they were in a park. To one side there was a huge cherry tree and on a bed of fallen cherry blossoms, sat Ichigo. He was dressed casually: tight black jeans, a dark blue button up shirt and black boots with silver studs. He wore a silver belt and had a set of chains hanging from his pant belt-loops. He sat relaxed against the tree with one leg bent at the knee and an arm resting across the top of it. “It's about time, Kisuke. What took you so long?” he asked with a smile._

 

_Urahara finally realized that the boy seemed to be smiling more and had been since Monday. He would sometimes let his scowl drop for hours at a time and he seemed more relaxed. “I'm sorry, Ichigo. There was a debriefing I had to attend.”_

 

“ _I was wondering if you were gonna stand me up,” he stood as the words left his mouth and he walked up to the blonde to wrap his arms around the older man's waist. He frowned at the other man's distraction, “I know there's something wrong, Kisuke. What is it? Maybe I can help.”_

 

“ _Maybe. This concerns us both anyway.” He pulled the younger man back to the tree to sit down again. “What do you remember about your mother?” Ichigo stiffened and Kisuke quickly pulled him into his lap, back to front with his arms loosely wrapped around the younger man's waist. “I have a valid reason for asking Ichigo. Please tell me.”_

 

_The boy shuddered and sighed as he began to speak, “She was beautiful and kind. She always had a smile for us and she was always there to pick us up if we stumbled. I miss her so much...all the time.”_

 

“ _Please try to answer the next question.” When Ichigo slowly nodded he continued, “Do you remember how she died?”_

 

_Ichigo's voice was as tightly controlled as his body was tightly wound when he answered shortly, “No.”_

 

_Kisuke breathed deeply, “Please tell me what you **do** remember.” Ichigo began to pull away and Kisuke held him firmly in his arms, “It's very important, Ichigo-san. Trust me, please.”_

 

_The boy began to shake as he pushed himself further into Kisuke's embrace, “I do.” He stiffened and then sighed and all the tension left him. “I do,” he sounded surprised but certain at the same time and turned to look at the older man. He slowly raised a hand to run along Kisuke's jaw, as if in wonder and then snuggled into his arms and tucked his head under the older man's chin._

 

“ _I was nine when she died,” he began softly. “It was early evening and it was raining. Mom had picked me up from our neighborhood dojo and we were walking back home. I was excited because I'd finally scored a hit off of Tatsuki...she's a friend of mine.”_

 

_Kisuke smiled into the orange spikes, “Sounds fun; go on, Ichigo.”_

 

_The younger man's trembling increased, “We were by the river and Mom was holding an umbrella over my head. I wanted to hold it for her and she was teasing me. Then there was a clap of thunder and I was knocked to the ground along with the umbrella.” The minor tremble had become a shake and he had to pause to get a hold of himself._

 

_His lover's arms tightened around him, “I've got you, I'll not let you go. But I need to know what you remember,” he gently encouraged the boy._

 

“ _By the time I got myself untangled, Mom was lying on the ground. She wasn't moving...and there was this...thing...standing over her body. It was standing up like us, but it wasn't human.”_

 

_He pulled away slightly from the older man to look at him, “What was it? It **wasn't** human was it? You know what it was,” he stated flatly; it wasn't a question._

 

_Kisuke shook his head, and stroked the tangerine locks out of Ichigo's face, “It was a Were. He was a rogue that the local Were pack was hunting. You guys were just in the wrong place at the wrong time.”_

 

_Ichigo closed his eyes and curled back into Kisuke's arms with a sad sigh. “The next thing I remember, they were both on the ground and I was sitting there trying to wake Mom up. I don't remember what happened in between. I've never been able to remember. A married couple found us and called the police.”_

 

_Kisuke began to gently rock the boy, “When we were introduced, I knew there was more to you than met the eye and it wasn't just because I was instantly hard the moment our eyes met!” he smirked at the younger man's look of shock. “I knew I wanted you but I wasn't entirely certain why. Then when I followed you out into that garden and overheard your conversation with your little friend, I realized there was even more to discover about you. And I wanted to...badly,” he smiled down into worried brown eyes._

 

“ _I told Yoruichi about your ability to resist my mind control and asked her to investigate your mother. You see, I knew all there was to know about your father, as I had investigated him years ago when he first came to my attention. He's a kind and loving man, nothing unusual there. But your mother was an unknown, so she was the place to start when trying to discover what you might be: a singularly gifted human...or something more. Either way, I had a strong need to let you know everything about myself. I **wanted** you to accept me as a friend with no secrets between us. I **wanted** you as an ally...the attraction was just an added bonus.”_

 

“ _And a way to convince me to join you,” it was a statement, not a question and Kisuke chuckled._

 

“ _Exactly. You see, I was right. Much more than meets the eye!” his playful voice was back and Ichigo relaxed completely in to him ._

 

“ _You really don't ever intend to lie to me do you?” he asked, pulling away in wonder that this man was being so unconditionally open._

 

“ _No I don't,” he answered, totally serious. “The only time I will ever deny you information will be to protect someone that I have a prior commitment to, but I will tell you that that is what is going on. I won't ever make up anything to deceive you, Ichigo. Not. Ever.”_

 

_He continued, “Your mother was orphaned when she was a young teenager. She put herself through both high school and college on her own and met your father in her sophomore year at university. Yoruichi found out that her parents were killed while out hunting Vampires.”_

 

_'Wh-what!?!” Ichigo pulled away to stare at the blonde. “No way!”_

 

“ _Unfortunately, yes. They were Hunters, Ichigo, which means that they were driven and had the talent to hunt down and exterminate my kind. Hunters are considered Night Walkers as well, although they are wholly human. Even though they **are** human, they have abilities that help them maintain the balance between the Day and the Night.”_

 

“ _What kind of abilities?” Ichigo asked in a daze. He was having difficulty keeping up._

 

“ _Preternatural speed and strength, the ability to resist our mind control, heavier bone density, sometimes the ability to read minds, the ability to dream walk. Those are the highlights; there are others that are unique to each Hunter. Once a Hunter awakens, those abilities can be trained.”_

 

“ _But Mom didn't have any of that! If she was one, why did she die!?!” the lost little boy was shining through the eyes of the young man and it broke Kisuke's heart to see it._

 

“ _She was the daughter of Hunters but never actually awoke herself. It can skip a generation here and there, Ichigo.”_

 

_Ichigo's eyes slowly widened as he looked at the older man. He had a feeling he knew what was coming, “...Who killed the Were that attacked us, Kisuke?”_

 

“ _The couple that were sent after him arrived too late. He was already dead by then and you couldn't say anything. Once your background was dug up, Yoruichi hypothesized that you awoke when you saw your mother killed by that monster and **you** killed **it** ,” he wasn't sure how the boy would take that information and the blonde waited for his reaction apprehensively._

 

_Ichigo began to struggle in earnest and the blonde let him go. The younger man stood away from the Vampire and began to pace. “No way, Kisuke,” he shook his head. “There's no way!” he looked frightened. Even more so than when Kisuke bit him that first night._

 

“ _It's possible,” the blonde reasoned softly as he leaned back and watched. “You blocked it out due to the trauma from that night...any child would! But it would explain so much, why you've accepted all of this so easily, that you can dream walk and neutralize my mind control. It doesn't change your situation any; it just might make it more understandable.”_

 

_Ichigo looked down at the older man as he thought through what he'd said. It did make a kind of twisted sense, but he still didn't feel any different and he still couldn't remember what had happened._

 

_He collapsed back into the other man's lap and as he leaned back into him, Ichigo let Kisuke cuddle him. He allowed the comfort to wash over him and reveled in it. It had been so long since he'd felt this way. Years since he'd felt cherished, since the night that his mother died. His dad was a good father, if a bit weird, but he didn't know how to comfort very well._

 

_In Kisuke's arms was where Ichigo belonged; he had already realized it, but now he acknowledged it and accepted it. No matter what else occurred, his home was here. Whether he was a Hunter or not; with or without the Enthrallment happening, he completely belonged to Kisuke. This was where both his loyalty and heart lay. He turned and straddled his lover's legs so he was sitting facing the man and hooked his legs around the others hips. “You may be right, but only time will tell. In the end it doesn't matter. My decision has already been made. When you leave Friday, I'll go with you. I belong with you and I don't ever want us to be separated. I only have myself to give...but I'll give you everything I can.”_

 

_Kisuke's arms tightened around the boy's waist and he buried his head into Ichigo's delectable neck and breathed out a relieved sob, “Thank the gods you didn't run! You aren't afraid?”_

 

_Ichigo gave him a crooked grin, “I can't say that. What I'm about to do is unknown, so of course there's uncertainty and I'd be stupid if I wasn't afraid. But I trust you, so the fear is bearable.” He continued to maintain eye contact with the older man as he leaned in to kiss him gently on the corner of his mouth, “To live the rest of my life knowing all of this but without you? Now **that's** terrifying.”_

 

_Kisuke's eyes darkened to almost black as he whispered, “I think we need to change locations, Love. To a softer surface, ne?”_

 

_As Ichigo smirked at the man, the area shifted and suddenly they were seated, still wrapped around each other, on a bed in what looked like a manor house. The younger man looked around and asked, “How many different bedrooms am I going to get to see Kisuke?” This one was richly paneled in a dark wood and the bed was covered in blood red satin. The head board had cuffs attached for restraint and when Ichigo looked up at the ceiling he realized it was covered in large mirrors. “You have **got** to be kidding me!” he snorted in disbelief._

 

“ _What? You don't like the décor?” Kisuke grinned at the scandalized look on his young lover's face. “I thought I outdid myself with this one!”_

 

“ _Uh huh...what do you plan to do to me in here?” the worry was back in his voice; along with a large dose of excitement, Kisuke was glad to see._

 

“ _Don't worry. I won't restrain you...unless you ask me to,” he grinned salaciously. He gripped the back of Ichigo's head and drew him in for a heated kiss, the younger man willingly opening up to tangle their tongues together. Kisuke groaned low in his throat at the boy's eagerness and shifted to lay him on the bed. He began to work his way down Ichigo's body, latching onto his neck and finding the artery there. His hands unbuttoned the soft blue shirt as he continued to suckle the sensitive skin over the throbbing pulse point._

 

_Ichigo tangled his hands in soft blonde hair and held the older man where he was. It felt so good and the boy wanted more of that. “Kisuke,” he groaned, “keep going. Please don't stop!”_

 

_The blonde felt his teeth lengthening and kept his face hidden from him, “Are you sure? I don't want to scare you.”_

 

_Ichigo noticed the change in Kisuke's voice, how it deepened and became more guttural and he wanted to see the change. “You won't. Let me see your face.”_

 

_Kisuke froze, “...”_

 

“ _Please, let me look at you. I will in a couple of days anyway,” Ichigo reasoned. At the continued stillness of his lover he said, “I said before that knowledge takes the fear away. Please. I won't run, I promise.”_

 

_Kisuke sighed in defeat and pulled back far enough for Ichigo to see him clearly. He knew the boy was right and that he'd see him this way soon in any case. He had to trust that Ichigo really wouldn't run from the reality._

 

_As the older man backed up, Ichigo took a long look at him. His teeth were long and very thin, showing slightly over his lower lip. His face was still the same but more gaunt and harsher, his eyes no longer a light grey but pitch black. His fingers had lengthened slightly and his nails had turned into talons. His overall body seemed bigger and Ichigo began to undress him to see just how much he'd changed._

 

_Kisuke's eyes widened when he realized what the boy was doing and he hardened as Ichigo's fingers worked with growing desperation to get him stripped. He reclaimed his lover's mouth and Ichigo's tongue eagerly traced over his canines, while his hands continued to work to undress him. Kisuke's shirt was off and his pants were loosened as Ichigo freed his member and began to stroke him. The blonde pulled back once more and let the boy get a good look at him, while he slipped a hand down to palm the younger man's arousal._

 

“ _You like what you see, Ichigo?” he asked when he noticed just how hard the boy was. Ichigo nodded and groaned; thrusting against the taloned hand now wrapped around him. “Do you want more of me like this?” he asked as he pulled the boy's pants off with one smooth yank and nestled himself between Ichigo's legs. “You want me to take you with this face?” he ground out as he reached down to quickly prep the boy, his own needs reaching towards frenzied._

 

“ _Kisuke yes! Do it now!” the younger man panted as he watched his lover ready him. He bucked when Kisuke dove in and connected them in one thrust. Then they were moving and rocking together as Ichigo screamed, demanding more from the blonde above him. Neither were quiet as they chased their climax, demanding more from one another in a fury. If anything Kisuke became fiercer and Ichigo met him with his own demands each driving the other over the edge into ecstasy._

 

_As Ichigo drifted on a cloud of pleasure, his lover regained his human face and clasped him to his body, whispering, “Sleep well, my love; and wake rested. Tomorrow make your peace with the fact that your old life is ending and a new adventure awaits you. I'll see you Friday night.” And Ichigo felt a soft kiss as he drifted into a deeper sleep._

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Porphyria Cutanea Tarda is a real genetic condition that can cause blistering of sun-exposed skin. It's the most commonly diagnosed porphyria and symptoms usually show up in childhood.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, the main sex scene in this chapter may not be for everyone. You have been warned! ^^
> 
> 7/23/15: Fixed some errors.

 

* * *

When Ichigo awoke Thursday he remembered his lover's words and wanted to sulk. However he knew Kisuke was giving him a gift of the time between now and the next night to spend with his family and friends. Once Friday night came everything would change and the life he'd led up until now would no longer exist.

 

He quickly showered and returned to his room to decide what to take with him the next night and what to leave until later. He locked his door and pulled on his underwear before digging out his oversized duffel bag as he considered his options. He wouldn't need his school clothes or books, so he set them aside. His writing was packed first along with most of his favorite clothes. He included one set of sweats, pretty certain he wouldn't be wearing much at night. He smirked at that thought, no longer nearly as self-conscious about his body as he'd once been. He knew that Kisuke at least appreciated what he had to offer and that's all that mattered to him. He found the photo album with all of his favorite pictures of his family and friends and packed that as well. After giving the room one more sweep, he shoved the duffel back into the closet and finished dressing, finally heading downstairs to have breakfast and walk to school.

 

The day passed by too quickly as he realized that his time in the daylight world was almost over. He spent his free time with his friends, joking and laughing with them; shaking his head in amusement at their antics as he said goodbye to each of them within his heart and mind. Even though this time with them was ending, he wasn't sad to say goodbye to it. He was excited about what was coming and he knew he'd continue to see everyone after the transition was made. He also knew that everything would change...would be different. **He** would be different; he already was.

 

If the others noticed his introspection, they didn't say anything about it. The group had a good time during lunch and then after school at Rukia's where they hung out, played pool, and teased Rukia about her yaoi addiction. Around five o'clock Ichigo said goodbye and headed back to his home to spend time with his family.

 

For once there was no homework and he was able to relax as he helped Yuzu with dinner and afterward, when he helped Karin with the cleanup. Isshin was excited about the next night, regaling them with stories about college and how he met Urahara-san and what an important influence he had been on him. For once Ichigo actually listened and couldn't help but be amused at his father's impression of the man. He knew Isshin meant every word but Kisuke wasn't exactly as sweet and above reproach as his father imagined. The man was a Vampire and had practically admitted to Ichigo that his hands weren't exactly clean of any wrongdoing. On top of that he was a complete pervert...although if Ichigo was honest, that was one of the things he liked about him....

 

'He's certainly opened my eyes about the physical side of things,' he thought with satisfaction as he got ready for bed. This was the part of the day he wasn't looking forward to because he knew his lover wouldn't come to him that night. He only hoped he fell asleep quickly so tomorrow would get here sooner. Before going upstairs, Ichigo had grabbed a couple of his favorite books and he threw them into his duffel before climbing into bed.

 

He lay there for awhile thinking over what had happened and what was to come and then he thought about what he still needed to pack so he could finish that up in the morning. Of course that led to what would happen the next night; which drove all thoughts of sleep completely out of his mind. He felt himself hardening and groaned softly, 'I think way too much!' He rolled over and tried to empty his mind but all that did was make him think about Kisuke's hands roaming over him, what he felt like against his body and how good it felt to be held by him. 'Fuck! I'll never get to sleep this way,” he rolled over and climbed out of bed to strip before getting back in again and making himself comfortable under the covers.

 

He closed his eyes and remembered the first night he'd spent in what he had decided to call the harem room. He let his hands roam over his chest and down between his legs, imagining Kisuke's hands stroking back and forth. He felt himself stiffening even more as his breathing deepened. While one hand firmly gripped his arousal, he licked the other before he let it wander back up to latch onto a nipple. In his mind Kisuke was sucking and licking the nipple as his hand worked his cock to full hardness. His mouth fell open as his hands moved quickly. The hand on his nipple moved to his mouth and he began to suck again, letting his tongue mimic on his fingers what his hand was doing to his erection. Before long he began to buck into his fist as his wet fingers moved down to fondle his sac and then further to circle his entrance. “Almost there,” he panted quietly as the heat began to build in his groin. He finally slipped a finger inside and rubbed around the muscle from within and then pressed forward just enough to brush along his prostate and he froze with a gasp. 'Reality is much better than my dreams!' Once he could breathe again, that little nerve nub got quite the workout while his other hand pumped himself to completion. As he lay there catching his breath his eyes began to droop and he finally drifted off to sleep.

* * *

When Kisuke arose that night, he was determined to give Ichigo the time he needed to make his peace with the change that was about to occur. He stayed at his desk for all of two hours before he decided that he'd rip his eyes out if he didn't get up and **move**. He thought about going back to one of the clubs he enjoyed playing at, but the idea of going without his young lover left him empty. He wanted Ichigo and only he would do. That thought alone startled him so much, he sat down heavily and thought hard about what was going on.

 

'How did I let this happen?' he pondered. 'I wanted an ally, a lover, and a portable food source; how the hell did I fall for that orange haired kid?' He leaned back and closed his eyes, 'He's Hunter-born, whether he's awakened or not and was destined to be my mortal enemy. He should loathe me instinctively and here he is agreeing to become my Thrall.'

 

The more he thought about Ichigo; how he looked, what he sounded like, how sweet he smelled, he began to get restless. Kisuke finally jumped up to grab his coat and called to Tessai, “I'm going out for a while!” as he slammed out the door, much to his bodyguard's relief. Tessai had a hard time handling high-strung energy and Kisuke had it spilling out all over the place that night.

 

Before long the blonde found himself at his usual vantage point outside of Ichigo's window and tried to relax. He had to leave his soon-to-be-real lover alone for the one night. Of course that didn't mean he couldn't look....

 

He settled in to watch as Ichigo came into his bedroom and pulled out a bulging duffel bag. He opened it to throw in some books before placing it back into his closet. Ichigo quickly finished getting ready for bed and turned out his lights. It didn't matter to Kisuke, he could see just fine in the dark. The young man seemed restless, tossing and turning for a bit. Kisuke was about to try and help send him to sleep when the young man hopped out of bed and quickly stripped before climbing back in. 'Is he hot?' the blonde thought to himself before he noticed Ichigo's increased heart rate. Soon, even though the younger man was under the covers, Kisuke realized what he was up to and he began to harden from the sight. 'That boy will be the death of me,' he thought, the irony completely lost on him as he watched Ichigo. “I wish he'd throw the covers back, damn it! Why does he have to be so modest?” he moaned to himself as he tried to get a better look. He didn't dare get any closer because he couldn't trust himself not to touch if he was within reaching distance. He finally gave up and slipped a hand inside his pants to palm himself as Ichigo began to move more aggressively...obviously thrusting into his own hand. “Ichigo!” he gasped lowly as the boy froze and finally settled into bed prior to going to sleep. Kisuke leaned back and continued to play with himself until he orgasmed, all the while never taking his eyes off of Ichigo's bedroom window.

* * *

Friday dawned brightly as Ichigo roused himself from a deep sleep. When he realized what day it was, he grinned and jumped out of bed to get ready. After dressing he double checked his room and the bathroom and gathered the last items he thought he'd need. He didn't own that much and he had only packed the essentials he thought he'd require over the summer so there was plenty left to give the impression that he was still there, should anyone actually get suspicious.

 

The day before he'd let his friends know that he had a summer job with Urahara-san and really didn't know how busy he'd be. They all had trips planned anyway so hopefully none of his nakama would get suspicious if he wasn't around. His only fear was for his family; he didn't want them to worry about him. Kisuke wasn't concerned but Ichigo wanted his family to remain happily oblivious to the changes in his life.

 

'Kisuke said I would remain a human but that I would change, I'll have to have him explain that one again,' he sighed to himself as he went downstairs for his last breakfast with his family. He couldn't help himself, he kept thinking that every situation he found himself in was the last time it would happen, 'If I'm not careful, I'll talk myself out of this.' He stopped cold at that thought. 'No, I won't,' he finally realized. There was no turning back and if he really thought about it, he had no regrets at all.

 

The day passed slowly; the clock hands just sat there. No matter how hard he tried not to watch the time, it didn't work and he felt exhausted by the end of school. He hurried home and upstairs to take a quick nap. Kisuke wasn't set to arrive until 6:30 so he had almost three hours to rest before he had to get ready.

 

He awoke shortly before his alarm sounded and groaned as he turned it off and hurried to take a shower. He was nervous about how the night would go and wanted to make sure he was ready for anything. He threw on one of his favorite nicer outfits: dark blue skinny jeans, black combat boots, an oversized dark green long sleeved shirt with wide cuffs, and a charcoal vest paired with it and left unbuttoned. He didn't mess with his hair much, just combed through and then shaken and left to dry. He thought he looked pretty good and only hoped that Kisuke would appreciate it and not think him too young, 'Hah! Of course I'm too young...he's over nine hundred years older than me how could he **not** think that!?!' He then decided it was as good as it was going to get and he went downstairs.

 

“Hey Yuzu, what's for dinner?” he asked as he poked his head into the kitchen.

 

“I thought that since Urahara-san has been away from Japan for so long that I would make a more traditional meal. So we're having miso soup, salad, grilled fish, vegetable stir fry and rice. Does that sound alright?” she asked nervously.

 

“It sounds wonderful,” he smiled gently at her. “I'm certain he'll love it!” he hugged her before he began to gather the necessary dishes to set the dining table.

 

“We have ice cream for dessert!” she called after him with a smile.

 

“Mm, what kind?” Karin asked as she joined her sister.

 

“Strawberry!” Yuzu whispered to her and winked.

 

Karin lowered her voice, “You know Ichi-nii will hate that, right?”

 

“Maybe,” she smiled, “but Daddy said Urahara-san loves that flavor!”

 

Ichigo heard them even with the whispers and groaned as he hung his head, 'Please no strawberry jokes tonight!'

 

He heard the doorbell ring just as he was finishing with the table and before he could move, his father was racing for the door. He shook his head over the man's excitement as Urahara was shown into the living room. He smiled when he heard the two men talking happily together. Once he was sure the room was set properly he headed toward the sound of their voices and as he entered, Kisuke turned to look at him and smiled.

 

“It's good to see you again, Kurosaki-kun,” he stood to shake hands with the younger man, keeping his back to Isshin as he looked deeply into Ichigo's warm brown eyes.

 

The boy gazed back as he smiled in return, “I'm glad you could make it, Urahara-san.”

 

“Come on in and sit down, Ichigo!” Isshin called to him and the two men broke eye contact as they turned to join him in the living room.

* * *

It was a wonderful meal and the company was entertaining. Isshin behaved himself, only embarrassing his children minimally and flying to his wife's poster only the one time after dinner when Urahara formerly offered Ichigo the job and he officially accepted it.

 

“Yuzu-chan, that was a wonderful meal!” Kisuke declared breezily as she and Karin headed up to bed later that evening.

 

She giggled and quickly bowed with a slight blush as her sister waited at the foot of the stairs, “Thank you so much, Urahara-san! I'm glad you enjoyed it.” She turned to her brother, “Good night Onii-san!”

 

“Night girls, sleep well,” he smiled at them as they hurried up to bed.

 

Kisuke turned to his old friend, “You have absolutely beautiful children, Isshin. You must be very proud of them.” He stood up and prepared to leave.

 

“I am,” the elder Kurosaki said with a small smile. He joined his friend in the foyer to show him out.

 

“I'll see you Monday after school, Kurosaki-kun,” the blonde grinned at the younger man with a wicked look in his eyes. “I want to begin your training as soon as possible so that once school is out you can dive right in to work!”

 

Ichigo bowed slightly, “I look forward to it, Sir.” He started up the stairs as the blonde was shown out and Isshin locked the door and headed toward his own bedroom.

 

Once Ichigo stepped into his room and turned to lock the door, he felt very familiar arms wrap around him. “Kisuke,” he breathed and leaned back into the strong chest pressed into his back.

 

“That went very well, don't you think?” the blonde asked as Ichigo turned around in his arms. Ichigo nodded and hugged the other man tightly as Kisuke continued, “Let's give everyone a chance to get to sleep and then we'll leave.”

 

“We won't be cutting it too late will we?” the younger man asked.

 

“No, it won't take them long,” he murmured and his eyes began to darken. Ichigo felt the power flowing over him and he listened for sounds of movement in the house. There was only a momentary rustle and then silence as the other three occupants drifted into a deep sleep. Kisuke turned to Ichigo as the younger man picked up his bag and asked, “Shall we go?”

 

The boy nodded with a small smile, “I'm ready.”

 

“No regrets?” the Vampire asked with a serious look.

 

“None.”

* * *

Kisuke had brought his car so it didn't take very long for the two to reach his home. Before going over to the Kurosaki household, the blonde had taken the time to spruce up his private rooms. His king-sized bed had been made up to mimic the slave room in Ichigo's dream. It was piled high with the softest bedding he could find. The sheets were a midnight blue and the blankets were pitch black. Tessai had heaped pillows at the headboard. Candles were scattered around the room and it was filled with a soft and spicy scent.

 

Upon entering the house, Tessai took the duffel bag from Ichigo and bowed himself out. The boy wasn't paying too much attention to the burly man since Kisuke had immediately cupped the back of his head with one hand and pulled him hard against his body with the other one. The two stood in the foyer completely absorbed in the dance their tongues were indulging in. Anyone could have been there and neither man would have noticed.

 

Ichigo curled his fingers into Kisuke's jacket as his knees began to give out and the blonde pulled away with a purely carnal smile. “Come with me,” he murmured as he took the younger man's hand and led him back to the bedroom. Ichigo grinned at the furnishings and quirked an eyebrow when he noticed the now lit candles. Kisuke didn't give him a chance to comment, for after he locked the door he swept Ichigo up and lowered him to the bed before he could even blink.

 

The boy's vest was tossed across the room and his shirt practically ripped from his body as Kisuke launched himself at him. Ichigo wasn't passive either. He sat up and pulled off the older man's dinner jacket and loosened his necktie before being pushed back down so Kisuke could remove his pants. After they ended up over with his vest, Ichigo yanked the blonde back down and popped the buttons off his shirt as he pulled it apart in order to touch him. Their mouths met in a fierce kiss as their hands roamed over each other and Ichigo deliberately unbuttoned and unzipped his lover's pants so he could touch him. He didn't bother to strip him completely because he secretly liked it when Kisuke left his pants on and fucked him anyway.

 

'He's so hard,' was the only clear thought in his head when the Vampire abruptly grabbed his wrists and placed them over his head on the bed, quickly snapping restraints into place.

 

“Not tonight, Ichigo,” he panted as his teeth began to lengthen and his body began to subtly change. “Tonight I have to have you completely at my mercy. There will be no backing out, no running away. And **no** stopping before I'm through. I'm about to completely deflower and defile you; take everything away and claim you as mine. I'll turn you into a wanton who only craves my touch.” As he said his piece, the power began to build in the room. It bore down on Ichigo and his eyes widened as he watched his lover truly become what he was: a beast, a monster. A frisson of both excitement and fear ran down his back at the sight. Kisuke removed what was left of their clothing and began to run his talons up Ichigo's thigh, lightly scoring the skin; enough to draw blood but not enough to scar. “You see now what I am? You understand what you're agreeing to?” he paused to lick the blood off and scratch along the other leg in order to repeat the process.

 

Ichigo was in a haze of excited lust as he was being chained up. He knew Kisuke was reassuring himself, trying to make sure of Ichigo's commitment and everything the blonde said and did only aroused him more. When he asked him if he understood all Ichigo could do was groan loudly and spread his legs as far apart as he could while he nodded.

 

The Vampire growled low in his throat and settled himself on top of Ichigo. He held the boy's head still and plunged his tongue deeply into Ichigo's mouth, drawing the boy's tongue out to play and then using one of his canines to lightly slice it as his mouth closed over the bleeding muscle and he sucked it clean, quickly sealing the wound. Ichigo whimpered and arched up into him when Kisuke pulled back, not wanting him to stop. Kisuke had never been happier that a Vampire's bite had an aphrodisiac effect on Humans than he was that night. He moved to the boy's throat and sucked at the skin over his carotid, raising a welt that would purple later. As he moved lower he used both his claws and teeth to lightly slice Ichigo's pristine skin and then reveled in the exquisite taste of his lover's blood as he licked him clean. This process was designed to show other preternatural creatures that this human belonged to him. The skin would heal with no visible scarring but any Night Walker would be able to see the marks of power crisscrossing Ichigo's body and recognize them as the “hands off” warning they were. Unless they were determined to start a massive war, no monster would dare to touch the young man now. The greater the number of markings, the greater the protection for Ichigo.

 

Kisuke had every intention of covering Ichigo in those marks, leaving no part of him untouched. However, he couldn't do it all in one night which was one of the reasons why he'd warned Ichigo that he would not return to his old home after this night ended. The main event tonight was to well and truly claim the younger man so he wouldn't wish to leave. That meant a night of biting, blood, and sex. After he finished the primary marking and Enthrallment he could take his time finishing the job. The gods knew it would be enjoyable for them both!

 

Kisuke took the time to carefully sink his teeth into both of Ichigo's nipples, knowing how good the slight pain would feel when he returned to them a little later. He kissed and nipped his way down to the boy's groin. He held Ichigo's thighs apart and bit into the inner flesh of each right above where the leg and groin joined.

 

Ichigo was writhing under him and wailing his need to his lover, trying to thrust into the other man to reach higher levels of pleasure, “Kisuke!” he screamed. “M-m-mo-re, need you more!”

 

As the blonde sucked and licked each wound clean, he watched in fascination as the boy's erection danced and grew ever harder. 'If I do much more, he's going to lose it and come.' He found he didn't mind that idea. Ichigo could come as many times as he wanted and it wouldn't hurt or negate what Kisuke was doing to him. If anything it would only make their connection stronger. He raised his head to watch his lover's face as he bit into the underside of his knee and was not disappointed when Ichigo cried out, arched his back and came all over his chest. His eyes were half closed as he lay there panting and Kisuke bent down to lick him clean. As he did so, he watched the younger man's member quickly come back to life and harden again and he smiled lewdly at the way his lover's body reacted to him.

 

He crawled back up to Ichigo's face and asked, “Did you like that, Ichi-chan? Is it not enough for you?” he asked gleefully. The boy could only groan and agree as he tried to focus on the older man.

 

“Kisuke, can you give me a minute? I can't see,” he murmured much to the Vampire's delight.

 

“It felt so good you went blind?” he chuckled. “My dear boy, you are too cute! Just close your eyes if it bothers you...I can't stop now.” He gently kissed the younger man and then went right back to marking him. There was an order to such things and he wasn't about to mess it all up by being careless. He had to complete his task before the eclipse passed over or all of this would be just so much wasted effort.

 

He wriggled his way back down to the tasty treat that was aching to be touched. Ichigo had finally regained his sight and was watching him with half-lidded eyes as he made his way back to the boy's groin. Kisuke looked up at him as his hand encircled his erection. “Shall I taste you?” he asked mischievously, knowing what the boy's answer would be.

 

“Gods, Kisuke...just get on with it!” Ichigo moaned and thrust up into his lover's hand and watched the Vampire turn even more feral when his talons accidentally sliced into his flesh. Pre-cum and blood mixed as the fluids trailed down his hand and Kisuke snarled.

 

“Ichi-go...did you do that on purpose?” he asked as he glanced up and saw the boy smirking. The smirk grew almost obscene as he thrust again, his eyes darkening from amber to chocolate and filled with his own swirling power.

 

“Do...it!” was shouted and that was all Kisuke needed to completely lose it. He growled as he firmly wrapped his arms around the boy's legs to keep them apart, securing them to keep Ichigo from hurting himself, and swallowed his length down to the root; burying his nose in the fine orange curls he found there. Ichigo threw back his head as his shout became a scream, which turned into a wail when he realized he couldn't move his hips. “Kisuke!” he cried desperately.

 

The Vampire smiled around his mouthful as he began to slide along the delicious shaft; moving quickly and then slowing down, using his tongue to gather all the sweetness leaking from it. Ichigo was building to his second crescendo of the night and as he peaked, Kisuke swallowed and bit down at his base; letting both blood and cum flow down his throat. His lover screamed as his body convulsed in rapture, his unrestrained screams filling the room. Kisuke felt the flow slow and gently withdrew his canines from the boy only to hear a whimper and a whispered, “No.”

 

He quickly cleaned the re-hardening organ and let it slip from his mouth as he stretched out next to Ichigo and began to release his hands from the restraints. He instinctively felt that they were no longer necessary and Kisuke wanted to feel the boy's hands grip him as he finally...finally robbed him of the last of his virginity.

 

“Did you **have** to stop?” came the question with a small whine after. Kisuke smiled again as he looked into the molten chocolate eyes staring at him with longing.

 

“Oh, Ichigo...I haven't stopped. I'm giving you a chance to catch your breath,” he murmured, his voice dark with the promise of more to come. “If I don't, tonight will end too soon and I will go too far and you might not survive it,” he admitted very reluctantly. He once thought he had more self-control than this. However with Ichigo...it seemed to desert him just when it was most needed.

 

“I would happily die like this,” Ichigo murmured and then met his lover's shocked gaze with a truly shameless smirk of his own. “But then that would be it and,” he paused here to kiss his lover thoroughly as he wrapped his arms around Kisuke's back, and pulled him over to lie on top of him, “I don't want this to ever end.” He looked up at the older man as he licked his lips and poked his tongue out with a little wiggle, inviting the Vampire to play some more. Kisuke's tongue met his and before their mouths sealed together, their tongues danced between them.

 

As the kiss deepened the air in the room began to crackle with power as Kisuke directed the energy they'd built between them to seal his claim on Ichigo. It was a relatively complex form of sex magick that required both concentration and dexterity from the wielder. Kisuke had been practicing his focus from the moment he met Ichigo in order for the connection to be as strong as he could make it. He'd never felt so possessive of another in all of his centuries of existence and he wasn't about to screw this up now!

 

The only thing the added power did to Ichigo was make him even hornier than before. His own hidden power began to swell and twine with the Vampires without either of them realizing it. He wanted Kisuke to take him and take him now...to seal the deal as the older man had said before. He began to grind up into the blonde who groaned at the friction and moved his hands to firmly press the boy's hips back into the bed as he pulled back to kneel over him.

 

When Kisuke looked down at his lover, Ichigo gave him a little smirk and, while never breaking eye contact, reached his own hands down to grip under his knees and spread himself as far as he could. He was completely caught up in the moment and felt it was the right thing to do. Kisuke's eyes widened and Ichigo's darkened to almost black as the older man reached to his side for the lube he'd placed earlier and liberally coated his fingers before capping the bottle and setting it aside. He reached his coated hand down to the boy's hole and carefully began to circle the tight muscle. Ichigo threw his head back and groaned as he held his legs up and open. When the blonde slipped one finger in, he held the boy down with his other hand to keep him from accidentally hurting himself. By the time he'd worked three fingers into Ichigo, the young man was screaming, mewling, and whining; stopping just this side of begging his lover to “hurry the fuck up already!”

 

Kisuke pulled his hand out and wiped it off as he reached for the lube again, while commanding Ichigo to stay exactly the way he was as he slicked himself. The bottle went flying while he lined himself up with his lover's entrance and as he caught and held Ichigo's gaze, he slammed himself inside the other, not stopping until he was fully seated within.

 

At the initial breach Ichigo froze and briefly stopped breathing. Then as Kisuke slammed home the young man gasped in air and screamed while he wrapped his legs around the blonde, fisted the covers, and threw back his head at the overwhelming pleasure of being so suddenly and completely filled; the slight pain only added to his pleasure. As Kisuke began to move, he gripped Ichigo's head with his hand and held him steady, exposing his throat. When he felt the younger man begin to tighten and knew his end was near as well he leaned over and bit down into the boy's neck.

 

Ichigo's mouth opened in a silent scream as he came between them, overwhelmed by the pleasure inflicted upon him. Kisuke quickly sliced open his own wrist and held it to Ichigo's mouth. The young man didn't even think twice as he latched on and suckled the wound while Kisuke followed him over the edge and his body shuddered from his own release as he filled his lover to overflowing.

 

Their combined energy sank back into the two of them, still undetected by either. Ichigo sank back into the mattress as all his strength left him, while Kisuke slowly released the boy as he pulled out and licked all traces of blood off of his lover. Ichigo tasted divine and Kisuke wasn't going to waste a drop of the life-giving fluid. “Gochisōsama,” he muttered facetiously when he had finished.

 

When he looked down at the younger man he saw that Ichigo was completely out of it. He was breathing, Kisuke was glad to note, but his eyes were half-open and yet unseeing. The blonde smiled and kissed the boy's forehead before getting out of bed and going to his bathroom to fetch a dampened towel. He quickly came back and began to clean them both up before tossing the towel towards the bathroom and climbing back into bed to caress the younger man.

 

Ichigo for his part was floating on a cloud of euphoria he'd never felt before in his life. His senses were completely shut down but for the pleasure that engulfed him. Dimly, he was aware of the warm towel wiping him down and then the arms that were wrapped around him as he was surrounded by his lover's scent and body. At the back of his mind he thought, 'How can he use words like defilement when I feel so completely blessed?'

 

 


	7. Summer 1048 AD

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I thought a bit of explanation might be appropriate here. I have a lovely friend who has been beta-ing this story for me and she kept asking for more details on what happened in the past. I wasn't giving enough back story and it was frustrating her. So, this led me to add some extra chapters telling how the older characters came to be and this is the first of those. It felt like the right place to put it. They will be scattered through the modern story wherever it seems like the right spot. ^^
> 
> Secondly, several of the older characters are not native Japanese, so they will not have the names we know them by. I tried not to make it difficult to tell who was who, but if there are any questions, let me know and I'll explain better.
> 
> With that being said...enjoy!
> 
> 7/23/15: Fixed a few errors.

* * *

“Good evening, Lord d' Alemaingne,” the soft greeting floated across the crowded room, causing the blonde to turn with a smile.

 

“And a good evening to you too, my lord!” he responded in kind with a slight bow and a wide grin to the older man now standing beside him. “Are you certain, it is a good idea for you to be out and about in this weather?” he asked in concern. The day had been overcast and about an hour earlier the skies had opened and poured forth a torrential rain that was still falling, although it had lightened considerably.

 

“Not you too, Njall! You are beginning to sound like my physician,” Jossede la Court began to laugh softly.

 

The two men had met roughly about a year earlier and had become fast friends, even with the age difference. Njall d' Alemaingne was a relatively young man of twenty-eight at the time. He hailed from Normandy and had taken up residence in Paris in order to conduct his affairs from a fairly central location. He was a personable man with blonde hair that almost fell to his shoulders, clear grey eyes, and a perpetual smile. He was something of a socail butterfly, flitting all over the city among both the nobles and peasants...and fitting in perfectly with either.

 

His companion had just turned forty and although his health had never been good, he had a lighthearted outlook on life and insisted on not letting his condition keep him down. He was slightly taller than Njall and quite thin, almost emaciated, with long silver hair which he kept tied back in a low ponytail and beautiful green eyes.

 

At least Njall thought they were beautiful. He had been infatuated with his friend for almost as long as he had known him. The blonde had never let gender get in his way when it came to personal liaisons and had experimented with both sexes since he had left home. He had to admit of the two, he preferred the company of men. It did not matter whether they were younger or older as long as they had brains enough to keep him interested. He had no set type; he liked to think he was an equal-opportunity lover.

 

However this man had caught and held his eye for the past year. His ethereal beauty and his need to be protected had held Njall fast to his side; all of his protective instincts on high alert. They were not lovers, Josse's poor health had kept that from happening, but Njall didn't mind as long as his friend smiled upon him and let him stay by his side. For now it was enough.

 

“I do not mean to,” the blonde said with a gentle smile as he offered his arm for the other man to lean upon.

 

Josse had been ill most of his life and there were times when he seriously wondered if the Holy Church had the right of it. It did not feel like there was a god at times, especially when he spent many of his days coughing up blood, barely able to raise his head. He had done nothing wrong that he could think of, had led a blameless life and yet, here he was not much better than an invalid. The only thing the physicians could be certain of was that his illness was not contagious. No one else had to suffer from his ailment; that gave him a moment's peace of mind at least. He looked down and smiled at the young man who so assiduously attended him. He knew of Njall's feelings and had tried to let him down as easily as he could that there was no hope for them to be together. His body's frailty would not allow for carnality, even had he desired it. As it was, he had no interest in those activities. This was probably due to his illness, it took so much of his energy to just breathe some days, there was none left over for anything else.

 

However, Njall had insisted that just being near him was enough. When Josse looked into his eyes he never saw pity, only love and he wasn't strong enough to send the younger man away. To be loved and not pitied was worth everything to the older man. He only wished he wasn't so selfish and could be strong enough to make Njall look for a better companion to spend his life with. He was being greedy and he knew it. When the pain was bad enough Josse could overlook his self-centeredness and reason that he deserved some happiness even at the expense of such a sweet young man.

 

The two wandered away from the room they had found themselves in. They had been two of many nobles invited to celebrate the return of the King's soldiers from whatever conflict they were returning from; there were so many, it was hard to keep them straight. Somehow both men had found themselves in the smoking chamber after dinner, even though neither smoked. They noticed that the rain had finally stopped so they gathered their cloaks and Njall carefully cleared a path for Josse to follow him out to the gardens. Once there, they slowly wandered the paths, talking of everything and nothing.

 

Both men were handsome in their own unique ways. Njall had set himself up as a minor noble from Normandy and as such, his clothing was not quite the height of fashion but it was very fine and well made. He wore an embroidered golden brown linen tunic that reached just to his ankles and over that a beautifully woven bliaut in forest green wool that was belted at the waist and slightly flared out to his ankles. Dark hose and fine leather shoes completed the ensemble. His cloak was of a heavier fabric in a matching golden brown. The colors made his hair and eyes glow. He was beautiful to behold.

 

Josse, wore a similar ensemble but his tunic was of a silver embroidered linen and his bliaut was in a royal blue and silver brocade. His cloak was also a dark blue wool. Whereas Njall **appeared** to be a noble, and in truth played the part exceedingly well, Josse actually was from an aristocratic family and had a much larger monthly stipend to draw from than the younger man.

 

After one circuit around the gardens, Njall noticed his companion's weariness and led him around to the front of the palace to summon his and the silver haired man's horses. Once they were brought around, the two headed off to Josse's estate. Njall wanted to be certain that his friend would make it home safely. Once he had seen him home, the blonde waved and headed for his own quarters nearby. It had been a long day and he was tired.

 

Josse, however had a guest and could not sneak off to his bed chambers. He sighed and entered the receiving room to see a large man with long wavy brown hair that he had held back in a ponytail and tied with a blue ribbon. He turned as the silver haired man entered the room and stopped abruptly with his mouth gaping open.

 

“Estienne, is that you?” he asked unbelievingly. He took two steps in and stopped. “This cannot be; you died! I was told you died,” he continued hoarsely. Falling to his knees since his legs would not hold him, he buried his face in his hands, “I have finally lost my mind. I am seeing things now, completely hallucinating.”

 

“No you are not, Jo,” came the well-loved voice Josse thought he would never hear again. The brunette knelt in front of him and pulled his hands away. When the silver haired man looked up, he saw the familiar grey eyes smiling down into his own.

 

“Estienne!” he threw himself into his first love's welcoming arms and sobbed. Three years...he had thought his friend and lover had been dead three years! But as he felt those very familiar arms wrap around him and hold him close, he knew Estienne was home. As his tears finally began to subside, the hiccups began, startling both men into laughter. Josse pulled back and cupped the stubbled cheeks as he looked deeply into the other man's eyes. “It **is** you. What happened, where have you been?”

 

Estienne helped him rise and the two moved over to a nearby sofa to sit. “I am so sorry love, that it took me this long to return to you. I was searching for a cure for your indisposition and things got a little...out of hand,” he smiled a sweet smile and brushed a loose strand of silver hair back behind Josse's ear. “I returned as soon as I could.”

 

“It is alright, Tienne. You returned to me; that is what is important here. Did you discover anything useful?” he asked, trying not to sound too hopeful.

 

The brunette smiled, “I did not find a cure for your illness, but I did find an alternative to it.”

* * *

The next week was extremely busy for Njall. There were ships of goods to meet and send on their way to fill the orders his trading business had taken on. He was not strictly speaking a noble although he acted as one in every way. He was a self-made man and his mind is what kept everyone fooled because he could carry the role so well. He kept his antecedents secret and led a double life; it suited him.

 

On Friday he was woken by an excited racket downstairs and as he sat up and tried to get his bearings, his manservant entered and told him he had a message waiting and was needed downstairs quickly. Njall quickly dressed and hurried downstairs to find one of the de la Court servants waiting for him. The man was obviously distressed and it took some time to get the verbal message from him in an understandable form. “What was that!?!” he finally asked in horror as he sat down heavily with eyes wide.

 

“T-the Master p-p-assed a-a-away last night,” the poor man finally got out through his own unbidden tears.

 

Njall felt as if his world had ended. He went through the next few days in a fog of grief and nothing could have kept him away from the funeral. He felt numb through the entire service and stayed by the crypt long after everyone had left. He was still there at dusk when he heard someone approaching. He turned and found a very attractive, if somewhat scruffy man standing patiently, waiting for his acknowledgment. “Good evening...” he let his voice trail off and waited.

 

“Good evening. My name is Estienne de Courcy and I was a long-time friend of Josse's,” he shook Njall's hand as he introduced himself to the blonde.

 

“Njall d’Alemaingne. It is a pleasure, sir. I was a more recent acquaintance; I would like to think I was a friend as well,” the blonde answered quietly. De Courcy smiled softly.

 

“I returned to town last week and he spoke at length to me about you. You see, he thought I had died when I disappeared three years ago. It took this long to return to him and this happens.”

 

The younger man smiled through the tears that were silently coursing down his face, “We all knew he was not much longer for this world...but I shall miss him terribly.” The brunette bowed his head and patted him on the shoulder as he turned to walk away.

 

“I am so sorry for your loss.”

 

“And I yours.”

* * *

Njall had a very strange dream that night. He was woken from his sleep by a knocking on his bedroom window and when he looked out, he saw Josse motioning to him. He rose, as if in a trance and opened the window only to see his friend standing in the garden out behind his home. The next thing he knew he was standing out there beside him. It was all so unreal that the blonde knew he had to be dreaming.

 

The silver haired man smiled at him, “Look, Njall! I have been cured; is it not wonderful?”

 

“We buried you this morning,” was all the younger man could get out as he reached to touch the man he loved.

 

Josse moved slightly to avoid the touch, “I am so sorry about that. I never meant to cause you pain. I am really alive and I no longer suffer from the disease that was destroying me. However, I have to be careful and can only come out at night.” He finally moved to touch Njall and when his icy hand made contact, the blonde awoke with a start.

 

'It **was** just a dream!” he thought as the tears began to fall again. He lay back down but sleep would elude him for the rest of the night.

 

Two nights later, he had the same dream again but this time, Josse felt warmer as they embraced. “My dear, I have to ask you. If you could come away with me, would you?” he looked at the blonde, worry etched across his brow.

 

“If this dream could become real and we could be together, I would leave this place in a heartbeat,” Njall answered without hesitation.

 

“Good,” the older man gave him a strange smile. “I have some things to attend to, but tomorrow be prepared.” Once again Njall awoke in tears believing that his mind was conjuring the one he loved.

 

He went through the next day automatically; later he would swear that he couldn't remember doing all that he did. At nightfall, shortly after dinner, he heard a knock at his dining room window and when he looked out, he saw Josse. He jumped up and ran outside into the backyard garden and there stood his friend, still ethereal looking but quite solid.

 

“How? How can this be?” he asked in wonder as he cupped the other man's icy cheek. “Josse, you need to come inside, you're freezing!”

 

Josse shook his head and said with another odd smile, “There is no need, I am fine for the moment. I need to know, dear. Do you still want to remain by my side?” Njall never noticed the strange look on his friend's face or the lengthening canines.

 

“Of course I do!” he exclaimed. “Come inside and explain all this to me; I saw you buried. How came you back alive?” He moved to wrap his arm around the older man's waist and Josse turned into the embrace.

 

Just when Njall thought he was about to receive his every dream, he felt Josse grip his hair and bare his neck and he saw how the silver haired man's face had changed. The appearance was so strange he flinched back but suddenly found himself unable to move. “Josse, what are you doing? Let me go!” he cried as he began to struggle against the suddenly iron-clad hold the other man had on him.

 

He saw the older man lean in toward him and his struggling redoubled when he saw the monster that had once been his friend lick his lips. “No!” he screamed as he felt the other man's canines pierce the skin at the base of his throat. He gripped Jose's shoulders and tried to break his hold but suddenly stopped in horror before he tried to thrash against the other man again. He had heard and felt the sucking.

 

Terror filled him as he felt himself weaken and tears fell unnoticed down his face when he realized that he was not going to be able to get away. “Why?” As his struggles grew less he began to feel the pleasure that the monster's bite imparted and his weakening grip tightened as he went limp in ecstasy while he held on. Just when he realized that he was dying, he heard yelling coming from a great distance as he faded from consciousness; his arms falling limply to his side.

 

“Jo, no!” Estienne shouted as he ran toward the two men and tore the blonde from his lover's arms. “I told you not to go near him...this is why!”

 

The black faded from Josse's eyes and he saw Njall's unconscious form, “Oh dear God, no! What have I done?” He fell to the ground and gathered the younger man into his arms as he looked up at Estienne, “What have I done?”

 

The bigger man sank down beside him and hugged both men to him, “I am so sorry, I **knew** I should not leave you! You do not have the necessary control to stop yourself from killing yet. I am so sorry Jo; it is not your fault.”

 

“I do not remember anyone forcing me to do this!” he glared at the brunette. “It **is** my fault and I have to fix it. What can I do?” he asked desperately.

 

“You have two choices. Either let him die or change him,” Estienne answered bluntly.

 

Josse closed his eyes and sighed, “I cannot let him die.”

 

“Then cut open your wrist and feed him your blood. He is right at the point of death; if you hesitate, you will be too late,” his lover said worriedly.

 

Josse bit into his own flesh and held his wrist to Njall's mouth. At first there was no response but suddenly his eyes opened, he sat up and grabbed the wrist in front of his face, and began to feed. Estienne was watching carefully and saw Njall's eyes change from light grey to blood red, and then to black. He was relieved...the change was taking. Suddenly the blonde pulled away and screamed as his body transformed into completion; his skin paled, his eyes remained black and his talons grew as he screamed into the night. Then just as suddenly as it began, it ended and he lurched forward into a dead faint.

 

“My love, please wait out of sight while I handle this,” Josse said as he gathered Njall into his arms. When the brunette hesitated he stressed, “I did this. Please let me deal with it.”

 

Estienne nodded and stood, “I am sorry, Jo. Be careful,” he muttered as he faded into the night and out of sight.

 

It did not take long for Njall to waken, much to Josse's relief. “What happened?” he asked in confusion.

 

“How do you feel?” he asked, avoiding answering for the moment.

 

“I feel...fine?” it came out as a question. Njall knew something had changed, but couldn't quite place what it was. He looked down at himself and then became aware of how sharp the night sounds seemed. Finally he realized that his body was cold and his heart wasn't beating. Holding a hand to his chest he looked up at the older man and asked in horror, “What did you do to me?”

 

Josse closed his eyes and took a deep breath before answering, “I made you like me.” He knew what he had to do but it was painful. “You wanted to know how I was cured, yes?” When the younger man slowly nodded he continued, “I was changed into what is known as an Upir and have done the same to you, Njall my dear. I am sorry, I should not have come to you before feeding. I have not yet become used to the change and I drank too heavily. You tasted so delicious I could not stop myself.”

 

He smiled bitterly, “When I came back to myself and realized what I had done, I could not bear to lose you...so I turned you.” He stopped talking when he realized the younger man was inching away from him in panic. He reached for Njall just to have him jerk away as he stood and backed away. “I thought you loved me, Njall...cannot you forgive me my lack of control?” he asked a bit forlornly.

 

The younger man looked at him in disgust as it all sunk in, “No! I did not want this! How could you, Josse?”

 

“I never meant to,” Josse responded but went ignored. He sighed in frustration, he knew he was not getting through. “Listen to me, Njall! You need to come with me now. Estienne tried to warn me not to get too close to people I had ties with and this is what happened when I ignored him. He can help us both come to grips with our change.”

 

The blonde stopped his pacing and glared at the older man, “Why can he help? What is he to you?”

 

“Before he disappeared, we were lovers,” Josse answered with a sigh. “He changed me to keep me from dying and I know he can help you now.”

 

Njall looked as if he wanted to regurgitate his dinner, he was so sickened. If he remembered correctly, Upir was a Slavic word for a blood-sucking monster. He met the eyes of the man he thought he knew and loved and only saw a stranger.

 

“Get away from me!” he shouted as he flung himself away from his former friend. “Leave me be, bastard! How dare you do this to me?” he slammed back into his home in a panic. He shut all the curtains, wrote a note for the servants to take a week off and barricaded himself into his bedroom. He found a mirror and took stock of his situation. He was even paler than before and he had always been fair. He opened his mouth and saw the fangs; at rest, they were not very big, but still much more lethal than they had been only a few hours before. 'It is a good thing I take care of myself,' he thought wryly, his sense of humor taking over for a moment. 'Centuries of bad teeth would suck,' then he realized what he had just thought and began to laugh somewhat hysterically.

 

He sat down at his desk and began to think. Right before dawn, he had a working plan he decided to put into action the next evening. He hurriedly wrote out instructions and left them where his servants would find them and then he retired to bed. As the sun rose, he fell into his first of many Vampiric sleeps which was no more or less than dying for the day.

 

The next night he arose well after nightfall to find an empty house and his instructions carried out. He quickly got cleaned up and dressed before packing to travel. He had to find out more about his new status. How much of a monster was he? He did not feel that different except for how hungry he was. There were times earlier in his life when he had had to go without and had learned how to ignore hunger. “I guess those days are over,” he muttered to himself as he felt his fangs lengthening against his will, his hunger escalating exponentially.

 

Before he could completely panic, he heard a knock on the front door and he felt.... It was hard to explain but he knew another like himself was there and that it was not Josse. He cautiously answered the door and found Estienne de Courcy standing patiently with a small, sad smile. “May I come in?”

 

Njall shrugged, “Might as well.” The two men sat down in the front room while de Courcy began to explain.

 

“About three and a half years ago I set out to find a cure for Josse. I fell afoul of one of our kind in the Balkan mountains and was turned. It took me three years to learn how to handle this condition and come home. Although, I would have liked not to die, this **was** a solution to Josse's illness. It was my miscalculation that he had met someone in the meantime who was special to him,” he nodded in Njall's direction. “If a newly made Upir is not aided by his maker until he can control his urges, these kind of messes can happen.”

 

“These kind of **messes**!?!” the blonde asked disbelievingly. “This is a good deal more than a mess! He destroyed my life...never to see the sun again...never to walk in the light! How could he?” he said despairingly.

 

“He loves you,” the brunette began but was interrupted.

 

“This is not love!” Njall spat in a vicious voice. “You do not do this to someone you love.”

 

“I did,” Estienne answered as he met the blonde's eyes. “This is as much my fault as his.”

 

“I agree,” Njall said bluntly. “What are you going to do about it?”

 

“Give me a few days to show you how to survive...how to feed,” he appeared calm although he was far from it. “So that you do not do the same thing to someone else. I can teach you the basics, the rest you will have to figure out on your own.”

 

“Fine but only four days. I must be away from here by the end of the week,” the blonde agreed.

 

“Four days it is then.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Holidays, everyone!


	8. Late July- Early August 2013

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry it took so long to post this! Enjoy!!! ^^
> 
> 7/23/15: Fixed a few errors.

 

* * *

When Ichigo awoke, he was in a strange room. He lay still, disoriented, as he looked around. It was a beautiful room but obviously not his own. A few heartbeats later he realized that he must still be at Kisuke's and he bolted upright. Then he groaned and leaned back against the headboard. He heard a soft knock at the door and croaked out, “Come in!”

 

Tessai walked in, much to Ichigo's relief. “Good afternoon, Ichigo-dono. How are you feeling today? I brought breakfast,” he said as he set a food-laden tray on the bed beside the younger man. It was a simple breakfast of fish, rice, and fruit. There was also a glass of orange juice, a cup of coffee, and some aspirin. Ichigo looked up at the older man in gratitude.

 

“Thanks...really,” he responded with wholehearted appreciation as he reached for the aspirin and juice. He frowned at Tessai, “What's with the '-dono'? I haven't done anything to earn your respect.”

 

Tessai's eyebrows went up, “Putting up with Kisuke-sama earns you my respect as far as I'm concerned.”

 

The young man snorted, “Tessai-san, I'm freaking **fucking** Kisuke- **sama**. If anything that makes me less worthy of respect, not more! To call me such is more of an insult to me than a compliment.” He sighed when he saw the brunette's look of complete confusion, “If I ever do anything worthy of respect, then that's fine...but this isn't it.”

 

“Then what would you have me call you?” Tessai asked curiously as he leaned against the door frame with his arms crossed across his chest.

 

“By my name would be preferable,” Ichigo grinned wryly. “But if there must be an honorific either -san or -kun will do; you pick.”

 

“Very well, Ichigo-san,” he smiled. “Is there anything else I can do for you?”

 

Ichigo quickly bowed his head and muttered, “Itadakimasu,” before replying. “First, where am I? This isn't where I ended up last night.”

 

“You're in your own room. The other night you were in Kisuke-sama's room.”

 

“The other night?” Ichigo asked in confusion.

 

“You've been here about a week now,” Tessai explained. “Kisuke-sama warned you that the Enthrallment would take some adjustment, correct?” He hoped that was the case. Sometimes Kisuke forgot to spell things out.

 

Ichigo nodded, “He did, but...I lost a **week**? And I'm not with him? We aren't sharing a bedroom?”

 

At the boy's frown Tessai continued to explain, “The Boss prefers to sleep locked away from everyone and he thought it was a good idea for you to have your own space anyway; to do with as you pleased...to get away from him when necessary. Your suite is attached to his; you both share the master bath.” The younger man nodded again as he looked around. It was a beautiful room, but a little bare. “This room and the attached study are your space, Ichigo-san. He will not be offended if you want to decorate it in your own style.”

 

Ichigo smirked at that, “Thanks for explaining. This is still way too new for me; it's going to take some getting used to. This place must be huge, but it doesn't look it from the outside.” Tessai grunted and turned to leave but was stopped as another rather lost-sounding question was asked. “Can you...show me where the bathroom is?”

 

The older man smiled as he watched Ichigo stumble out of bed, “This way.”

* * *

Kisuke roused himself at dusk, several hours after Ichigo had rolled out of bed. He decided to shower before checking in on his lover. The past few nights had been...stimulating, to say the least. He smiled to himself as he quickly finished and hurriedly dressed. He so enjoyed sending the boy into orbit with pleasure. It seemed that almost anything he did caused Ichigo to spiral toward ecstasy. Needless to say, Kisuke was one happy Vampire when he poked his head into his lover's bedroom...and found it empty.

 

“Where'd he go?” he grumbled as he looked around to reassure himself that Ichigo really wasn't there. Over the past week he'd had to wake the boy up and guide him to eat, bathe, and dress. The Vampire had known that this would happen. It always took a while for a new Thrall to adjust to the changes happening within them; for the power to be absorbed. For Ichigo to be missing was worrying for the older man and he hurried toward the front of his home, pausing when he heard laughter and voices coming from the kitchen.

 

“Look Tessai-san, You aren't going to win this one,” Ichigo chuckled. “I'm gonna keep bugging you until you let me do them!”

 

Tessai sighed exaggeratedly, “Kisuke-sama is going to kill me.”

 

“You leave Kisuke to me,” the younger retorted with a smile in his voice. “You two are too old fashioned! You need to get with the times, old man!”

 

Ichigo sighed and then continued softly, “I **need** to help out. Doing nothing and letting you wait on me is going to drive me crazy. Please.” Kisuke peeked in and saw his old friend nod reluctantly.

 

“Fine, you do the dishes while I take care of the laundry,” he huffed at the younger man. “Just don't break anything!” He grinned, “I'm beginning to see why the Boss likes you so much.” Ichigo smirked back at the man as he threw a towel at the brunette and then turned back to the sink to do the dishes.

 

When Tessai passed his widely grinning employer he muttered, “I'll make myself scarce, Boss.”

 

Kisuke winked, “Don't let us keep you from your work, my friend.” He quietly entered the kitchen and watched while the boy worked at the sink. Ichigo was completely in to his task and humming softly to himself as he moved to the tune playing in his head while his lover enjoyed the impromptu show tremendously. When it looked like the younger man was nearly finished, Kisuke came up behind him and placed his hands on Ichigo's thighs so that they could move together.

 

Ichigo whimpered, “Kisuke?” as their bodies swayed together as one.

 

“Yes?” he whispered into the younger man's ear.

 

“What took you so long?” he asked as he leaned his head back on the blonde's shoulder and looked back at him.

 

Kisuke nuzzled his neck, “Miss me?”

 

“Yessss,” was the breathless answer as the older man's hands began to wander inside the boy's pants; one to the front and the other to the back to fondle and play. Still slowly undulating into each other, the heat between them began to rise and Ichigo lost track of what he'd been doing.

 

“Ich~i~go,” Kisuke sang, “do you want me?” At the younger man's nod and move to turn, Kisuke's hands froze; one gripping his lover's erection and the other hovering at his hole, “Stay still and hold onto the edge of the sink,” he whispered. “We don't want you to fall.” Ichigo nodded and gripped the sink's lip as Kisuke began to move his hands again, slipping one inside the younger man as the other languidly began to stroke him.

 

Ichigo's head fell forward as his hips moved back to get more of the friction Urahara was causing, “Kisuke.”

 

“Hm?” he smiled at the whine.

 

“More.”

 

“Your wish is my command,” he smirked as he pulled away to get the obtrusive clothing out of the way. Ichigo felt the cool air on his ass when his pants were worked down and heard his lover's zipper as Kisuke freed his now hard member. His mind was going fuzzy since his whole being focused on his lover and his own need. Kisuke smiled at him while he continued, “That's right, Ichigo. Let go. Let everything go...except the sink,” he chuckled.

 

“Fuuuck Kisuke! Quit teasing!” Ichigo groaned as he tried to move more, with his head down and his eyes shut. He didn't want anything to distract him from how good this man was making him feel.

 

“I don't want to damage you...please be patient,” the Vampire's voice was beginning to show the strain of holding back. Finally, he felt that his young lover was ready and he slid straight in, laying his head against Ichigo's shoulder and gripping his hips firmly.

 

The pair's movements escalated rapidly as did Ichigo's voice. Soon the room was filled with the younger man's cries of 'faster,' 'harder,' and 'more,' and Kisuke was happy to give him exactly what he wanted. Tessai, who could hear them from the laundry room, began to worry about his sink as they rocked against each other and Ichigo used it for leverage. When they both finally peaked, the younger man sagged and Kisuke quickly pulled out and redressed them both before picking his now limp lover up into his arms, and glancing at his bodyguard with a wan grin as the man re-entered his kitchen.

 

“You know you won't be able to do this,” Tessai began, indicating what they'd just finished, “once the kids come home, right Boss?”

 

The blonde laughed, “I know. That's why I'm indulging myself now. I can't believe he was up before me today,” he looked down at the semi-conscious boy in fascination.

 

The brunette smirked, “I know; it's only been a week. He has amazing assimilation abilities. I see why you were so determined to have him.”

 

The Vampire turned to leave and return to his bedroom, “That's not the only reason, Tessai-san.”

 

“Don't I know it, Boss,” he murmured with a wide grin as the other two left, “don't I know it.”

* * *

Ichigo's steady return to normalcy was both a relief and a disappointment to his older lover. On the one hand, it meant that the two of them could get on with their lives together. And Kisuke knew that the sooner Ichigo could go and check on his family the better he'd feel about the whole situation.

 

But on the other, it also meant that the sex kitten the boy had temporarily turned in to would also be disappearing; and that was something the blonde had gotten to know and crave and didn't want to lose. Of course by now, Kisuke knew how to bring out that part of Ichigo; but the Vampire couldn't help but miss the constant demands that Ichigo had made on him while consumed by his Enthrallment.

 

A few days before the older man's wards were scheduled to arrive, Kisuke sighed. He was bored as he watched his new assistant busily writing away across the room from him. “Don't even think about it,” Ichigo said without even raising his head from his task.

 

Kisuke whined, “Why can't I? It's all you've let me do all evening!”

 

Ichigo grinned, “Once these letters are finished, you can do whatever you want to with me. How does that sound?”

 

“Don't tease me, Ichigo,” the older man said seriously. “I might just follow through with that.”

 

At that Ichigo looked at the man sharply, “I'd be disappointed if you didn't. I meant exactly what I said but...give me an hour?” he finished with a sexy grin and went back to work.

 

“Fiiine,” the blonde sighed as he stood to leave the room. “Would you like some tea?”

 

Ichigo smiled up at the man, “That would be great.” Before Kisuke could leave he spoke again, “Since school finally let out for the summer and I have officially moved in here, do you think it'd be alright for me to check in with my family?”

 

Kisuke moved to kiss the top of his lover's head, “I don't see why not. I'm not holding you captive, you know.” When Ichigo glanced up he saw the blonde pouting down at him.

 

“I know, but I didn't want to mess up the cover you so skillfully set up,” he frowned back down at his work. “I'm not that comfortable with deception and now that I can be more honest with them, I'd like to reconnect again. Besides this is the first year I didn't spend my birthday with them and it feels weird.”

 

“I know, Ichigo. If it hadn't been so necessary, I wouldn't have done the deed so quickly.” Kisuke began to run his fingers through the soft tangerine locks, “But it is for the best that they stay in the dark; for both us and them. It's safer this way.”

 

“I don't get why it's safer for **them** ,” the boy said softly. He continued to himself, 'Although I do know why it's safer for us. Dad would freak if he knew the whole truth.'

 

Kisuke understood what was running through his lover's mind, “I am a very powerful man, Ichigo. With power comes both responsibility and risk. I have made my fair share of enemies over the years, both human and supernatural, and I don't want my presence in your lives to cause any of you harm. The less they know, the better off they are.”

 

Ichigo looked doubtful, “I'm not so sure I agree, Kisuke. Knowledge is power and ignorance isn't always bliss.” He concentrated on the work on his desk as he muttered, “I know for a fact that you've told me very little about yourself, your past, and it's worrying....”

 

Kisuke smiled softly, “I'll tell you anything you want to know. All you have to do is ask.”

 

Ichigo turned to him fully, “I want to know everything about you.”

 

The blonde looked doubtful, “It'll take a while.”

 

“Let me finish this last letter and then I'm all yours.”

 

After Ichigo finally declared himself done with work, the two men settled down to dinner. There was a package sitting at Ichigo's spot. He looked from the box to his lover with a cocked eyebrow.

 

“Happy Birthday, Ichigo,” Kisuke said with a small smile. “I was waiting to give this to you once I was certain you'd remember it.”

 

“Thanks Kisuke,” he replied cautiously as he sat down. The package wasn't wrapped and looked like a rather large jewelers case. He had an idea he knew what was in it and he wasn't sure if he should be flattered or pissed off.

 

“Go ahead...open it!” the blonde sounded both excited and impatient. “It won't bite!” he smirked at his young lover.

 

Ichigo nodded and cautiously opened the box. He had been correct; nestled inside was the complete set of slave jewelry he'd worn in his dreams. He shook his head in exasperation as he took the collar out and carefully looked at it. “It's exquisite,” he admitted, trying not to scowl too fiercely. “You're gonna want me to wear this...aren't you?”

 

“Not all the time,” Kisuke answered with a twinkle in his eyes. “Maybe for special occasions?”

 

Ichigo rolled his eyes as he held up the cock ring, “Riiight.” He twirled it around his index finger and smirked playfully before turning serious and asking, “Are you sure about this?” He met his lover's eyes with a frown, “It must be worth a fortune, Kisuke.”

 

Kisuke's expression went from amused to lecherous in a second, “What's the use of having something and never using it?” Ichigo snorted but gave him a little smirk as he put the jewelry back in the box and set it aside when Tessai brought in their dinner.

 

Once Ichigo began to eat, Kisuke began his story.

* * *

“My father was both a trader and an explorer that signed onto a Viking ship during what is now known as the late expansion period. He originally came from Norway and eventually settled along the coast of Normandy. He took a local girl as his wife and I was his first child, born in 1018. My family was pagan and very resistant to the new Christian religion that had taken hold of the continent.

 

“When I turned fourteen, I became active in the family business. We traded with other countries and I was regularly sent to both Ireland and Scotland to do business with the locals. I found the travel fascinating but it was difficult due to the fact that most Christians refused to do business with heathens. By the time I turned eighteen, my father had decided that we needed to become Christian in order for our business to succeed. I disagreed. I was young and passionate and refused to bow to the pressure to follow a path I did not believe in. It eventually led to my leaving my family's home and striking out on my own.

 

“I did well for myself as the years passed. At that time it wasn't as frowned upon to have male lovers and as long as I was circumspect, no one bothered me. Not all men married as soon as they gained their majority and as I was always very respectful of the ladies, I was much in demand within the society of the day. It didn't hurt that I was successful and quickly rose to prominence due to my wealth. I traveled widely and made my home in several countries.

 

“By the time I turned twenty-eight, I was living in Paris and was known as both a gentleman and a fair businessman. It made me very popular with both men and women and I lived a life of luxury for the times. You could say I was quite blessed. I kept a low profile and since I had a thirst for knowledge, it was easy for me to fit in. Then one night I met a man that would change my life forever.”

 

Kisuke paused and glanced over at Ichigo who was literally sitting on the edge of his seat with his mouth slightly open, taking it all in. At the description of the blonde's first love, there was a slight tightening around his mouth but he stayed silent. When Kisuke reached the point in his narrative where he was changed Ichigo looked both sick and sad and moved to hold the older man in his arms as he continued his tale.

 

“I left France then and didn't return for centuries. Becoming a Vampire with no warning or real preparation was...difficult. I was scared at first and hid myself away during the daylight hours only to come out at night. But being a very curious person with an insatiable thirst for knowledge, I took it as a challenge and learned as much as I could about my condition. I realized fairly quickly that I didn't need to kill, which was a blessing. I also discovered that animal blood was nourishing and I didn't absolutely have to drink from humans to thrive.

 

“Having my humanity taken from me and becoming this only made me appreciate humans all the more. Of course there were some that weren't worth the air they breathed; but there were many, many more that were honorable and worthy of respect.

 

“After about ten years, I adjusted and truly began to live again. I established a new identity in Spain and lived there quietly and very happily.

 

“In 1158 a new spectacle began; the first bullfight was held in honor of the coronation of the new king of Castile. The fighting went on all day and well into the evening; which was how I was able to witness it. One of the later fighters caught my eye. He was a big, muscular man who kept his dark brown hair tied back in a ponytail and I decided to introduce myself to him. We became friends and he accidentally discovered my condition fairly quickly. He didn't condemn me as I thought he might, but only showed avid curiosity. 

 

“One night we were to go hunting in a nearby forest, but he didn't show. I finally found him in an alley that stank of rotting garbage and feces. He had been set upon by bandits who wanted to rob him. You see, he'd become very well known and wealthy due to his success at the many bullfights he fought in. The bandits had stalked him and taken him unawares. By the time I found him, it was too late to turn him into what I was. However I had discovered another way and I asked him if he wanted me to use it to liberate him from his mortal existence. He looked at me and nodded, indicating that he wanted a chance to get his own back against the bandits. I couldn't fault him for this and so I changed him.”

* * *

Here Kisuke paused to look carefully at his companion, “I won't go in to the specifics with you. It would completely disgust you. You could call it a form of alchemy or magick. Suffice it to say that it worked. As you might have guessed, this friend of mine is the man you know as Tessai Tsukabishi.”

 

“I thought it might be,” Ichigo nodded. “If he's not a Vampire, then what is he?”

 

“He's a ghoul, Ichigo.”

 

The younger man frowned, “I thought ghouls were supposed to be animated rotting corpses. He looks too good to be one of those.”

 

Kisuke chuckled, “Movies aren't the best resource. You're referring to zombies. Ghouls are...different.”

 

“I'll say,” the young man agreed. “Does he work for you now because he has to, or because he wants to?”

 

“He doesn't **have** to stay by my side, even though his continued existence **is** tied to my life,” the blonde answered. “At first he stayed with me out of a sense of duty. I'd saved him and he wanted to repay me. I honestly thought that after he'd achieved his revenge he'd leave, but he had other ideas. Our relationship by then had evolved into a deep-seated trust and friendship. These kinds of relationships are very rare and you don't just toss something like that aside.”

 

Ichigo nodded his head in acknowledgment, “Yeah, you don't throw that kind of relationship away. Chad, Renji, and I have something like that; absolute trust and respect. Plus we completely have each other's backs. It doesn't get better than that.”

 

“You are correct; it doesn't.” Kisuke looked at the younger man, “So, do you want to hear more of my story or would you rather retire for the night?” he wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

 

Ichigo began to grin, “I don't know...who knows when you'll be this forthcoming again?” He moved until he had straddled his lover's hips, “On the other hand, it's a lot to process and there's no great rush for you to finish.... Let's see...” he trailed off as he leaned in for a kiss. When he pulled away, he stood up and offered a hand to the blonde, “I suppose we could pick this up later.”

 

Urahara smiled seductively, “As you say Ichi-chan, there's no need to rush.” He pulled the younger man into his embrace and thoroughly kissed him. “Shall we away to bed?”

 

The younger man didn't answer, he just smiled and led the way to the back.

* * *

The next evening, in one of the many office complexes in Manhattan a meeting was taking place; a very fateful meeting. To the unobservant it looked like an ordinary business meeting between department heads and the CEO of Espada Enterprises. This wasn't exactly the case.

 

Aizen Sosuke **was** the CEO, but those present were the top officers of his Arrancar Division; his secret army if you will. They were made up of Night Walkers from around the world who were united under him for one purpose only...power.

 

The man in charge stood tall and coolly assessed those seated at the conference table. He stood 6'1”, had soft brown hair that he swept back but for one strand that insisted on trailing down his face, and brown eyes. Usually he had a mild expression that radiated warmth but today he was every inch the commander of this group. He was angry...very angry. He hadn't gotten what he wanted from the reconnaissance mission he'd sent his top man on. Now he was planning to go on the attack.

 

“Any questions?” he asked as he looked around the room. Seated in front of him were his two lieutenants and the eight remaining leaders that were left after his last failed attempt to take down the only man that had ever seriously stood in his way.

 

The people sitting around the table remained silent. The plan was pretty straightforward. The opening salvo would be by the Sexta and would be against whoever he could catch out alone. The rest would slowly re-locate back to Japan and await orders while they continued to gather information on the prime target and those that surrounded him. Simple.

 

Aizen looked down at the file he had just reviewed with his Espada; his Swords. This group was what was left of his strongest warriors and he knew how useful they were. They were the perfect weapons to send against his arch nemesis...Urahara Kisuke.

 

 


	9. Fall 1158 AD

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is flashback chapter number two! ^^
> 
> 7/23/15: Fixed a few errors.

 

 

* * *

The sun set on a brightly beautiful day in August shortly before Jehan de la Court awakened and set to get ready for the evening's entertainment. As he finished his toilette he thought back over the past century since he had first arrived in the area. Upon his arrival, he had taken the last name of his maker as a reminder to not be selfish. He was currently living in the Kingdom of Castile and had heard that a new entertainment was to commence that evening.

 

The kingdom was celebrating the coronation of the child, King Alfonso VIII, and had set to hold a corrida de torres to celebrate. Jehan could not care less about the rulers of the area but he was fascinated by the entertainment. He had been looking forward to this for over a week and hurried to reach the arena before everything ended. The only problem he still had with becoming what he now knew to be an Upyr was that he missed out on so much!

 

His manservant fussed around him as he was dressed; Jehan was having a hard time standing still. The styles of the time were much more fitted to the body and he had issues remaining stationary as he was laced up. Finally the servant was satisfied with his overall appearance and let him go. The blonde quickly went to the stables, mounted his horse, and rode off to the plaza.

 

As he approached, he heard the cheers and could hardly wait to see the spectacle. He dismounted and secured his stallion before entering the seating area. Once there he saw what had everyone in an uproar. It was amazing. It looked like this round was almost over, two of the gigantic bulls were dead, and the third seemed thoroughly incensed. And only one bullfighter was left standing facing off against the magnificent creature. Neither seemed to be injured yet and the crowd was going wild. Jehan had the perfect position to watch as the man pulled out his sword and bowed slightly to the animal. The bull did not seem impressed as it charged. The torero dodged and thrust his sword...and missed as he was knocked away by the animal. At this point everyone was on their feet, waiting to see who would win this fight.

 

For a few moments it looked like it would be the bull but then the man executed a twisting flip over the beast and used his body weight to thrust the sword deep into the bull. There was a howl of pain and the animal keeled over onto its side as the crowd cheered the victor. Jehan was probably the only one who noticed the torero bend over the prone body to make sure it was truly dead. When he was positive it was, he laid a hand on the massive creature and closed his eyes as he quickly said something. As he stood he made the sign of the cross and bowed once more before turning and leaving the arena.

 

The blonde could not help it, he was impressed. Not many cared enough for the life of a dumb animal to waste their time praying over it; for he was positive that was what the brunette had been doing. He decided that this particular torero was worth getting to know and made his way in the same direction the man had taken to try and catch up with him.

 

He finally found the brunette about ten minutes later. He was talking to an older man who was paying him a rather large sum of money. Jehan stood a little apart and unabashedly listened in on their conversation. It seemed the torero was receiving his winnings from the corrida. The blonde noticed just how big a man he was. 'No wonder he could take down that bull,' he thought, 'he is huge!'

 

Jehan was trying to come up with a viable reason to accost the brunette when the larger man turned and fully met his eyes with a smirk of his own. Jehan narrowed his gaze when he realized he had been caught and thanked all the gods available that he could no longer blush. He nodded to the torero who grinned back and motioned him to follow as he led the way to an inn with a remarkably good cellar.

 

As the two men sat themselves and gave their order to the barmaid, they visually weighed each other up and appreciated what they saw. Jehan began with a smirk of his own, “My name is Lord Jehan de la Court, Stranger. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”

 

The torero laughed outright at that, his mustache quivering, “And I am known as Capitán Tadeo Mendes. It is a pleasure.” He looked at the blonde with intelligent eyes, “You are not exactly what you seem are you,Señor?”

 

“I have no idea what you mean,” Jehan asked, his eyes twinkling. “And I could say the same for you. Have you come back from the war permanently or will you be deployed again?”

 

The bigger man grimaced, “I am home for good. During my last battle, I was injured and almost died. The physicians will not allow me to return to active duty.”

 

“I see,” the blonde answered sympathetically. “I am very sorry for your loss.”

 

Tadeo shrugged in a resigned way. “I have come to terms with it and at least I still have all of my limbs!” he finished with humor.

 

“Not for long if you continue with your new career choice!” Jehan returned. “Keep going as a bullfighter and you will have a very short life.”

 

The larger man laughed outright, a melodious sound from one so large, “What is life without risks? One of the reasons I joined up was for the risk it entailed.”

 

“I see,” Jehan's humorous expression turned speculative, “It seems we have something in common. So tell me, what was it like? To face off against such a magnificent creature? And will you do it again?”

 

What followed was an enthusiastic conversation about the corrida and the danger both men thrived on. They had a good time as they shared several bottles of the inn's wine as well as parts of their lives with one another. Jehan could no longer experience inebriation, although he had learned to fake it and Tadeo kept up with him for most of the evening, only giving away his state as he stood to leave. The pair were very pleased with their new acquaintance and parted on the very best of terms.

 

Over the next few months their relationship turned into friendship as they grew to know one another. Even though Jehan had to keep certain aspects of his life confidential, for safety's sake, he was an honest man and that came through to Tadeo.

 

Being a soldier, he was simple, straightforward, and could appreciate his new friend's honesty...although he knew there were secrets the blonde held closely. Tadeo was worldly enough to know that all men held secrets they had no wish to disclose; he had a few himself, so he refused to pry.

 

When the brunette chose to speculate, he assumed Jehan's secretiveness had to do with his sexuality. Although the blonde never indicated what he preferred or particularly acted effeminate, he could not completely control where his eyes wandered. The Spaniard noticed early on that Jehan liked to watch men, particularly younger men in their late teens and early twenties. Tadeo did not care although he definitely did not share that preference. He had seen enough within the military to know that sexuality did not count for a damn thing when lives were on the line; and some of the fiercest warriors were the ones with...questionable inclinations.

 

Tadeo discovered quite by accident just how wrong he was in his assumptions and exactly what the blonde was truly hiding about three months after the two met. He was supposed to meet Jehan at their favorite inn for dinner late one evening and was on his way there when he spied the blonde near the docks and became curious. He knew by now that his friend was actually an importer/exporter of goods from France and other countries, but he had never known him to personally conduct business dockside himself. It was bad for his reputation as a foreign nobleman. Tadeo chuckled to himself over his friend's deception. He decided to follow and offer backup if it was needed; he could not help but worry about the smaller man.

 

He had a hard time keeping the blonde in sight; Jehan moved almost too quickly. He obviously knew where he was going and never once broke his stride. He rounded a corner and Tadeo carefully approached the alley he had turned down, knowing that it was a dead end. He did not hear anything except a slight rustle of fabric so he peeked around the corner and almost gasped out loud.

 

There was his friend, holding another man in what looked like a lover's embrace...except that it was not. Jehan had bitten his companion's neck and was sucking on the wound with an expression of bliss plastered across his pale face. He held the other man firmly so that he could not get away had he wanted to...but he obviously had no wish to. He looked enraptured as well, as if his every sexual fantasy was coming true.

 

Tadeo had heard tell of blood drinking creatures that attacked their prey at night but had no idea that the stories had actually been true. He stayed hidden as he watched his friend carefully pull away and lick the wound until it closed, holding his victim tenderly until the young man was able to stand on his own. He obviously was nowhere near death or dying as the legends had said and he also had no memory of what had just occurred. Jehan smiled kindly and sent the boy on his way, none the wiser that he had been the older man's dinner entree. He then turned and made eye contact with the larger brunette and looked at his friend with resignation as he walked over to him.

 

“You saw, of course,” he murmured.

 

“Of course,” Tadeo answered.

 

“What happens next?” the blonde looked up at his friend.

 

“Are you going to kill me?” Tadeo asked fatalistically.

 

“Good heavens, no!” Jehan was surprised into laughing. “I would never hurt you.”

 

“Then are you going to make me forget like you did to that boy?”

 

He sighed, “Let us take this conversation to a more private place, shall we? You pick it.”

 

“We can still go to the inn, they have private dining rooms where we will be able to talk.” Jehan nodded and motioned for Tadeo to lead the way. He had danced this dance before and thought he knew how it would end. He was not looking forward to relocating again. He preferred a quiet life, only he rarely got it for long.

 

After the two men were seated in the private dining room and had given their orders with strict instructions to knock before entering, Jehan began. He told Tadeo about how he had been changed so long ago, about the betrayal his maker had committed when he turned him into what he was now. Their dinner arrived right as he was finishing his story and they stayed silent as they were served.

 

Once their server had left again Jehan asked, “What happens now?”

 

Tadeo considered his next move before he spoke, “You did not drain that boy. Why?”

 

“I do not have to kill to feed,” the blonde answered simply. He held up his wine glass, “I only need as much as will fill this glass to be satisfied.” He then looked over at his friend, “I am not **that** much of a monster.”

 

Tadeo watched the man in front of him and considered his words. It finally made sense why he never came out until nightfall and why his complexion was so pale. “What kind of creature are you?” he asked softly.

 

“The best word I have been able to come up with is an Upyr. It comes closest to explaining what I have become.”

 

Tadeo nodded, “I have heard of your kind in my travels but thought the stories nothing more than just that...stories to scare people into staying inside at night. I trust that I am a good judge of character and you have never made me feel as if I was threatened or in danger. I trust you, Jehan. You have nothing to fear from me.”

 

The blonde looked as if he did not want to believe him, “B-but you are a Christian. Do they not teach that beings such as myself are at best cursed and unclean things...and at worst demons?”

 

Tadeo willingly nodded, “They also say that drinking, gambling and sex are sins.” He playfully looked around as he lowered his voice, “And I am certain that you have noticed how well I pay attention to **that**?” He grinned broadly before turning serious again, “I prefer to listen to my own instincts. They have kept me alive thus far and have never yet failed me.”

 

The blonde seemed to collapse in on himself in relief, “Thank you, my friend.” Tadeo only smiled back warmly.

* * *

As time went by the two men became fast friends. Jehan enjoyed having one person he could completely be himself around. Tadeo was someone he could show all of his idiosyncrasies to without fear of judgment and it was liberating. The big man also helped to diffuse the curiosity of others. Of course Jehan returned in kind the same consideration and courtesy to the brunette.

 

They went on like this for a few months, enjoying each other's company and going about their lives without any issues. One night, several months after all had been revealed, Jehan awoke with a bad feeling. The pair were to go hunting that evening after sunset. It had recently become the fashion for the aristocracy to hunt in the evenings and that suited the blonde very well. He did not have to worry about it looking odd if he was seen entering a forested area after dark. In fact, Tadeo had teased him unmercifully about starting the fashion himself just for that reason!

 

He dressed hurriedly, somehow sensing that Tadeo would not appear. He went outside and mounted his horse before opening his senses to find the brunette. This was something Jehan had developed over the past century and it had stood him in good stead. When he focused, he could sense his target anywhere within a hundred mile radius. This ability had become second nature to him by now and he quickly located the torero down at the warehouse district. 'How did he end up there?' Jehan took off at a gallop, silently apologizing to the horse as he made the best time he could, praying that he would not be too late.

* * *

Earlier that evening, at dusk, Tadeo had left his small apartment to meet up with Jehan for their weekly hunting expedition. He had discovered that although his unusual friend preferred human blood, there were times when wild game satisfied his thirst even more thoroughly and their hunting evenings safely appeased their thirst for danger. He always went home with enough meat to last him the week and they had fun while out. He was so deep in thought that he was unaware of the small group of thugs tailing him until it was almost too late.

 

Tadeo had enough warning to divert his path away from Jehan's home and into the warehouse district before he was set upon. He drew his sword and faced off against the band of men as they converged upon him. They were thieves that had been preying on the toreros of the corrida for the past month. Tadeo had been warned to never carry much money on him as that was their goal. All he carried this night was his weaponry for the hunt and he was confidant in his fighting prowess with both sword and bow.

 

However the thieves were also proficient with their weaponry and as he turned and unsheathed his sword, he was shot in the shoulder with an arrow that had been tipped with something to slow him down. He ripped the shaft out of his shoulder and took down the two closest to him before his speed became affected. Three more roared as they set upon him and although he fought valiantly, he was no match for the other men. He did his best but the poison slowed his reaction time and he went down. As he faded from consciousness, his last thought was, 'Jehan is gong to be so disappointed.' He never heard the horse and rider approaching.

 

The blonde halted and dismounted silently. He could smell the blood a mile away from the scene and knew his friend had not long to live. He also knew that the torero had at least wounded a few of his attackers and he smiled at that. He'd make sure that those wounded would never see another day; he was going to dine well this night.

 

He stormed down the alleyway, his power flowing out of him to sweep the area and saw Tadeo fall from his many wounds. Jehan was grief-stricken and he proceeded to break the first man's neck with literally a flick of his wrist. When he was angered he was just as much of a monster as the legends claimed...a demon in human skin. He punched another of the thieves in the stomach, rupturing it instantly; it would take that man a while to die, the blonde reckoned with grim satisfaction. He needed as many as possible alive but disabled if he were going to save Tadeo...and that was only if the man wanted to be saved. Unfortunately he was not able to disable them all and it was a pity, but three of the thieves got away. Once the activity settled down, Jehan turned to his friend with sadness written across his face. He knelt by Tadeo's broken body and realized that he was still conscious.

 

“Can you understand me, my friend?” he asked softly. Upon receiving a barely there nod, he continued, “It is too late for me to make you into what I am, you have lost too much blood, but I can save you. Will you let me?” He knew Tadeo couldn't speak so he watched his facial expressions.

 

When he saw curiosity he quickly answered the unspoken question, “I discovered a way to turn humans immortal and it will save your life, but you will have to give up the life you have now. You will no longer be able to eat food...only fresh blood will satisfy you and you will need more than I do. You will be able to enjoy alcohol but will never again be inebriated. You will also be able to enjoy the pleasures of the flesh but will never conceive children or become ill by indulging in them,” he smiled at the light that lit his friend's dimming eyes.

 

“Your life will be tied to mine for all eternity. You will only die when I do. However, it will enable you to take your vengeance on the rest that did this to you, for I wasn't able to stop them all.” That last statement was what made up the bigger man's mind and he minutely nodded again before passing out.

 

Jehan lowered Tadeo to the ground and began to gather his power around him in a spherical circle that encompassed the two of them as well as the wounded scattered about on the ground nearby. As his power grew, he began to utter words in a language even more ancient than the earliest Greek or Latin ever spoken. As he reached the apex of both his power and the incantation, the blood from the wounded thieves within the circle began to forcibly flow out of their bodies in bright red streams and combine with the built up energy before slowly entering Tadeo's broken body. Jehan directed the flow of both blood and power as it entered and began to heal the torero from the inside out.

 

He never noticed the dying screams of the men who had, in their greed, destroyed his friend; so focused was he on what he was trying to accomplish. When the bodies within the circle were completely drained dry, Tadeo lay on the ground thoroughly healed and glowing. As Jehan watched, the glow sank into the brunette and his eyes opened as he inhaled a gasping breath of air.

 

“How do you feel, my friend?” he asked, worried that this had been a mistake. Jehan did not want to be hated by the one man that knew all of his secrets.

 

“Hungry,” Tadeo croaked out and then continued with, “and thirsty.” He chuckled as he sat up and looked carefully around him at the dried husks of his murderers, “I do not want to know what you did, do I?”

 

The blonde smirked, “Probably not.” He lowered his power and grounded the circle as he continued, “There are two more wounded over by the building. Listen to your instincts and satisfy your hunger, then meet me at the end of the alley. We will talk after.” He did not want to see what was going to happen next.

 

Tadeo nodded as Jehan quickly walked away, then turned to the nearest thief and tore out his throat as he began to eat his fill.

* * *

Two hours later the pair had cleaned themselves up and sat at a private table in their favorite inn, sipping some of the house wine as Jehan explained. “I am so sorry. This should never have happened to you,” he shook his head sadly.

 

“It was not your fault or had anything to do with you,” Tadeo was quick to interrupt.

 

The blonde nodded in agreement, “Maybe not the attack...but what I did after was my fault and for that I am truly sorry. I pray you do not come to hate me.”

 

“How could I? You saved my life!” he was a simple soldier and did not quite understand where his friend was coming from.

 

Jehan agitatedly ran his hand through his hair before replying. “Did I? Or did I damn you? Is this a blessing, or did I curse you to your eternal damnation?” he looked at the brunette bleakly. “You were a Christian knight, blessed by your God and I essentially robbed you of that blessing.”

 

Tadeo finally understood and his expression softened as he answered, “You gave me the choice and I chose physical salvation over spiritual. I do not know if that was a good choice or not, but it was **mine**! You did not force me and even though I was mortally wounded, I understood what you were saying and accepted it. I am not afraid of dying, but now was not my time. Of that I am certain, Jehan.”

 

He sat back and took a sip of wine before continuing, “Now, what did you mean by our lives being linked? And if I am not like you...then what am I exactly? Do I have to stay away from the sun?”

 

At the onslaught of questions, Jehan laughed in relief and held up a hand, “One question at a time, Tadeo!” He turned serious, “During my travels abroad, I came across an inscription about a ritual that would enable the creation of an immortal servant while I was in Rome. I was looking for information about my condition so I traced the origins of this process thinking that it would offer me some answers. I was able to piece it together after I went to Egypt and poked around the ruins there. I found a shrine that was dedicated to Anubis and within it I found the entire process for creating a ghoul.

 

“It had nothing to do with my creation but it was fascinating that there was another creature, similar to myself, who could only survive on blood.” He smirked at Tadeo, “Well, mostly blood. Ghouls were created from the dying by a vengeance ritual. The ghoul-to-be had to have been dying from wounds rather than from illness, and during the ritual, the new ghoul would have his blood replaced from those that had killed him. In other words, it was a spell that required an eye for an eye.” Tadeo nodded in some satisfaction at that statement. He felt it was justified.

 

“I will not go into the details but suffice it to say the thieves that were in the circle with us gave their sorry lives so that you could return,” Jehan continued. “And the two without the circle were your first meal, which personally, I feel was only fair,” this last was said with a feral gleam in his grey eyes.

 

“Agreed. So I am now a ghoul,” this was not asked, Tadeo knew the answer. “I feed like I did tonight?”

 

“Not exactly. You survive on fresh meat and blood. You will have to hunt nightly for awhile but as you get older and better able to control your needs, you will be able to go for weeks without feeding. In that, I envy you,” he smiled a bit bitterly. “However, you **will** have to kill in order to feed properly, and if you can feed while the body is still alive, all the better.” He looked at the bigger man sharply, “Your food source does not have to be what you ate tonight. Any mammal will do.”

 

Tadeo looked relieved, “That is good. I do not relish the idea of repeating tonight...at least not once I find the rest of my attackers.” His eyes began to glow red as he thought over his revenge, “How many got away?”

 

“Three,” the blonde readily answered. “I got a good look at them and can help you trace them if you want me to.”

 

Tadeo grinned ferally, “That will not be necessary, my lord. I have their scents imprinted on me. I will find them easily. And when I do, you will not want to be around...I plan to bathe in their blood for what they did to me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a little warning: I am going to try to stick with my posting schedule of once a week but I've had to revise and rework the next three chapters and it's slowing me down. However I believe the finished product will be worth it! : )


	10. August 2013

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 7/23/15: Fixed a few errors I found.

 

 

* * *

The following day Ichigo woke around noon and went to see his family, ostensibly to see if he'd be able to pick up some more of his belongings. Yuzu met him at the door with a smile as she hugged him and let him pass. “Well, it's about time you came home Onii-san! How are you enjoying your job? Is Urahara-san fun to work for?”

 

Ichigo thought over how best to answer her question, 'I certainly can't tell her the truth! Sure he's fun, I really enjoy fucking him, isn't exactly politically correct!'

 

“Yeah, I suppose you could say he is,” he finally managed. “I mean he's very likable; and smart! You should get a load of his portfolio, it's amazing. And he's very cultured; his house could be a museum, Yuzu,” he smiled at her as she bustled around the kitchen, putting lunch together.

 

“Is everyone going to be here for lunch?” he asked her.

 

She smiled brightly, “Yes, we're eating in half an hour, Ichigo!”

 

“Great! I'm gonna go pack a few more things to take back ho – um to Urahara-san's,” he stuttered as he stood up.

 

“Ok!” she said and then frowned. “Are you sure it's necessary? I mean you'll just be moving back in a few weeks anyway.”

 

“Yeah...well, it's still stuff I need now, Yuzu; so I'll just have to deal,” he grinned at her and quickly headed upstairs, not stopping until he reached his room and locked the door. “Whew, that was harder than I thought it'd be,” he muttered to himself as he packed a suitcase with the rest of his clothes. He managed to clean out both his dresser and closet before the rest of his family came home and then he hurried back downstairs to join them.

 

The meal was fun. Ichigo found that his father was easier to deal with when he didn't get a daily dose of him. Karin's summer soccer season was off to a good start with a win their first game and Yuzu was upset that her father wouldn't let her take a part time job at a local restaurant.

 

“But Daddy! Onii-san will be gone all summer and in a week Karin is going off to soccer camp. This would be the perfect year for me to take a part time job. Just think of all the new dishes I could try out on you after work,” she tried to reason with him.

 

“The only problem with that, Yuzu,” Ichigo interrupted apologetically, “is that you'd be too tired to do anything once you got **back** home. I don't want to discourage you, but you're still a bit too young, you know. Maybe in two years when you're sixteen, hm?”

 

Yuzu looked like she really wanted to argue the point but she answered, “Fine,” quietly and began to clear the table. Ichigo decided to help and followed her into the kitchen. “I know you're right, Ichigo,” she continued, “but the chef there is really nice and he likes my cooking. He sees that I could really go far with the proper training.”

 

“How does he know that you can cook?” her brother asked as he rinsed the dishes and stacked them to the side.

 

“I...um...tried out for the job,” she whispered.

 

Ichigo barked out a laugh, “Oh my god! Yuzu, you little sneak! Does Dad know? Did you even tell the chef how old you are?” he darted a sharp look at her and she slowly shook her head no.

 

“It's not like I'm trying to work during school or anything! It's just a summer job!” she returned defensively.

 

“I know. You really want to learn how to cook professionally?” he asked, interested. At her vehement nod, he turned to hug her close. “Try not to rush it, Yuze. You have your whole life ahead of you...don't try and grow up too fast...ok?” he looked down when he felt her hug him tightly.

 

“Will we see you next week for lunch or dinner?” she asked while her face was still buried in his shirt.

 

“Why don't I figure out a regular time frame for me to come over? Would that be alright?” he asked with a small grin. He'd forgotten that she'd probably miss him the most of everyone in the family. She lifted her head and smiled back at him happily.

 

“That would be wonderful, Onii-san! Please bring Urahara-san with you, if he's free!”

 

“I'll ask him, but he's very busy most nights, so I can't guarantee anything,” he hugged her once more and then turned to grab his suitcase and head back home.

 

As he left the kitchen he saw Isshin leaning against the wall, waiting for him. “That was well done, Son,” he murmured as he followed Ichigo into the living room.

 

“As much as I hate backing you up, old man,” he returned with a smirk, “she's way too young.” He looked at his dad with a slight frown, “Are there any cooking classes going on this summer that she could take? It might satisfy her need to try new things out, but in a safer environment.”

 

Isshin slowly nodded, “That's not a bad idea. I'll check in to it.” Ichigo grinned and clapped his father on the shoulder as he picked up his suitcase in preparation to leave. “So, how do you like working for Kisuke?” he asked as he followed Ichigo to the door.

 

“It's interesting,” was the short but sweet answer. “I'm enjoying myself and learning a lot,” he continued, trying not to blush too much. “He's led an...interesting life.”

 

“I'll say,” Isshin grinned. “Get him to tell you about his time in America! He can be a ruthless bastard when necessary,” he finished, chuckling.

 

Ichigo smirked, “If you only knew, Dad.” As he left the house, he saw Karin waiting for him by the street. “Hey Karin, what's up?”

 

“Could you come watch me play tomorrow, Ichi-nii?” she asked hesitantly. “I know you're busy but I was hoping for a private talk with you and we could do that if you walked me home after the game tomorrow,” she cut her eyes sideways to look at him. She punched him in the shoulder before she continued muttering, “I know you haven't been living here these last two weeks, Ichigo.” At his visible start she grinned, amused but still obviously worried, “What I don't get is why no one else realized it. I want an explanation, got it?” she finished aggressively as she punched him again.

 

“Ow!” Ichigo rubbed his abused shoulder and replied, “Got it. I'll be there, Karin.”

 

“Good, don't make me come after you.” He gulped and nodded; he knew a threat when he heard one.

* * *

When Kisuke awoke that evening, he found a very contemplative young man working diligently in his office. When Ichigo saw him, he stood with a scowl and handed a stack of correspondence to the older man for him to read through and sign. “Please read over these responses before you sign them tonight, Urahara-san. It would help if you pointed out my mistakes,” he cut his eyes over to the older man and gave him a serious look.

 

“Alright,” Kisuke answered slowly as he sat down. “What's wrong, Ichigo-kun?” he asked as he grabbed the younger man's wrist before he could turn from him.

 

“Tessai-san caught three incorrect documents that you signed but didn't bother to read. Do you have any idea how embarrassing that is? I'm trying to do a good job here, damn it! I don't want to be known as only your fuck toy!” he tried to yank his arm away but that wasn't happening. He sighed; the man was way too strong for his own good!

 

“No, what's **really** wrong Ichigo?” he asked again, seriously. “What happened today?” he tried to make eye contact but the younger man persisted in hiding his eyes from him.

 

At first he looked like he wasn't going to answer but then Ichigo sighed and slumped a little, “I saw my family today. We had lunch together. They'd like me to come over for dinner one day a week, if that's ok?” Kisuke knew that wasn't what was bothering the younger man so he nodded but otherwise maintained his grip and waited. Ichigo once again tried to pull away and then glared at his lover.

 

“I'll not let you go until you tell me the rest,” was the only answer he got from the patient man.

 

“Karin **knows** ,” Ichigo finally said simply. “She knows I haven't been home the entire time. She's like **me**!” he finally raised his eyes to meet the Vampire's. “Now what?”

 

Kisuke let the boy go with a small frown and leaned back in his chair, “I thought that might happen at some point. Your sisters had the same mother, after all.” He shrugged, “You tell her the truth.”

 

“What!?!” Ichigo looked at him aghast. “I don't want her to know! At least...not everything,” he muttered with a bright blush.

 

Kisuke's look turned carnal, “So which part is that, Ichi-chan?” he asked as the younger man came over to sit on the desk as they faced each other. “The part about me being a Vampire?” He paused, “Or the part about us being lovers?”

 

“Neither, preferably!” he blushed even darker. “But especially the second part,” he muttered lowly.

 

Kisuke chuckled, “Oh, Ichigo, you are so cute!” He stood, bringing himself to stand between his young lover's legs as he hugged him.

 

“Am not,” came the muffled statement as the young man wrapped his arms around Kisuke's back.

 

“You know it's better that she hears the facts from you, right?” the blonde asked as he began to gently rock Ichigo, while subtly grinding into him.

 

“Mm, yeah,” the boy muttered distractedly, spreading his legs a bit more, all the while enjoying the attention. “This is just something that I didn't want either of my sisters involved in,” he glanced up and clarified, “...the Night Walker thing.”

 

“I knew what you meant, Ichigo,” the blonde replied wryly.

 

“Well,” he shrugged with a small smile, “I thought it best to make certain.” He nuzzled into the Vampire's neck, “You can be a pretty perverted old man, you know.”

 

Kisuke moaned, “Yes...I am quite the hentai. But you like this perverted old man.”

 

“You bet your ass I do,” the boy nipped at his neck, sending jolts of electricity down to Kisuke's groin.

 

“I-I-Ichi-go,” the blonde stuttered, “you need to stop before you literally bite off more than you can chew.”

 

“Always with the biting,” the younger man mused playfully. “What if I want to?”

 

“To the point of becoming like me?” the Vampire asked desperately. That stopped Ichigo and he pulled back.

 

“No...not for a moment's sexual gratification,” he sighed. “You really do know how to kill the mood, don't you Kisuke?”

 

The blonde looked at his lover with such intensity it rocked Ichigo down to his toes, “I care for you too much to do anything else. I know my limits and what will send me out of control and you seem to be able to do that effortlessly.”

 

Ichigo nodded and began to pull away but Kisuke stopped him, “We can continue, just don't nip at my neck...alright?” The boy nodded and Kisuke was about to pull him close when they heard someone clear their throat near the office door.

 

“Mind if I come in?” Yoruichi asked. When they turned, she walked into the office and made herself comfortable in one of the cushioned chairs nearby.

 

“Yes!” the blonde barked at his friend as Ichigo stiffened and blushed brightly. “You are definitely not wanted here right now. Go. Away!”

 

“I wish I could, Kisuke,” and she looked like she meant it. “However, something has come to my attention that you needed to be made aware of.”

 

He sighed and ran his hand through his hair as Ichigo slid away to return to his own desk. “Fine, since you seem determined to ruin our fun, you might as well go ahead,” he motioned for her to continue.

 

She looked relaxed but suddenly power crackled through the room as she very simply stated, “It seems that Aizen is back.”

 

Ichigo was looking at Kisuke and saw him freeze at her words. There was no other way to describe it; he suddenly became as still as a statue. Then his hands clenched onto the chair arms, “What did you say?”

 

“You heard me,” suddenly she was deadly serious. “He isn't dead like we assumed. And he's back...or will be soon.”

 

“Who's your informant?” he asked suspiciously.

 

“You know who,” she gave him a meaningful look.

 

Never taking his eyes off of Yoruichi, he spoke, “Ichigo, could you please step outside for a little while?”

 

The younger man continued to look at him as he answered, “Nope.”

 

“I'm not asking, Ichigo,” Kisuke snapped, finally looking at his lover.

 

“And I'm not leaving, Kisuke,” Ichigo answered just as harshly. “You said you wouldn't lie to me or keep secrets unless they betrayed your vow to someone else. Is that what this is about?”

 

“No,” Yoruichi spoke up much to Kisuke's displeasure.

 

“Yoruichi!” Kisuke hissed, but was interrupted.

 

“Don't do this Kisuke!” Ichigo spoke slowly and quietly. “This concerns me; I don't know how, but I know that it does. Don't break your promise. Don't make me regret all of this.”

 

When the blonde looked carefully at the younger man he realized just how serious Ichigo was. He could feel the line being drawn and he realized that if he shut Ichigo out now, the younger man would never allow him a second chance. He looked down at his desk, somewhat defeated and agreed, “Fine.”

 

“Who's Aizen?” Ichigo asked Yoruichi; for the moment ignoring his lover.

 

“He's Kisuke's worst enemy,” she returned, still watching the blonde.

 

Kisuke shut his eyes tight and began explaining, “I met him on my first voyage to Japan. Tessai and I found Spain to be a bit too hot for us around 1590, so we emigrated here. It was a fascinating period and we were able to meet many incredible people during our stay in Kyoto. Aizen Sosuke was a very intelligent boy of about fifteen when we first met. He was studious, earnest, and trusted by his master. He worked as a scribe, I'd suppose you'd call it.”

 

“Was he a slave?” Ichigo asked curiously.

 

“No, he was a scholar. At least that was what he was being trained for,” Kisuke smiled. “You don't know your history very well, young one!”

 

Ichigo blushed. “Sh-shut up! I was just making sure,” he turned his head away, flustered.

 

“It's fine,” the blonde grinned. “In reality he wasn't much more than a slave; working all hours and very harshly treated if he made a mistake. His master was a bit of a bastard.” His eyes took on a distant glaze as he continued, “I was intrigued by the boy. There was strength there, and passion, even though he always showed a meek face to everyone. I could sense it. I befriended him and we spoke often.”

 

He continued, “I offered him a place to come to when things got too rough. And the boy became a regular visitor.” Kisuke sighed and began to pace, “He was the only other Thrall I ever claimed.”

 

Ichigo looked at the older man sharply, “The only other one, huh? He must have been important to you.”

 

“He was,” Kisuke agreed. “However, it was a mistake I would come to regret later.” He met Ichigo's eyes unflinchingly, although he looked like he'd rather be anywhere other than there, having this conversation. “I claimed him on his sixteenth birthday. It wasn't as strong a connection as ours is, but it was still strong enough. He insisted that I not turn him and since I had no wish to, it was easy to abide by his request. I drank from him often and eventually I realized what he'd been doing all along.”

 

He took a deep breath before continuing, “One night, not long after his twenty-fifth birthday, we were waylaid by bandits. He was mortally wounded protecting me and died not long after. I was grief-stricken as we laid him to rest. A little while later, Tessai heard tales of mysterious deaths happening nearby and they sounded eerily familiar to me. I went to investigate, and found him. My sweet and meek,” here he snorted, “Thrall had been drinking from me as I slept for years. Only then did he reveal his true face to me. The face of a twisted and deformed soul; and without me ever realizing it, I'd enabled him to blossom into a true monster in every sense of the word.”

 

The brief flare of jealousy that Ichigo had harbored by now had died as he realized the depth of betrayal Kisuke was talking about. A few things about their living arrangements began to make sense to the younger man. “So what happened then?” he asked softly, not wanting to break the mood.

 

“He tried to kill me. We left Japan hurriedly and I didn't see him again until the 1950's when I came back here.” He turned to Yoruichi as he continued, “I came prepared to do battle and I thought we'd succeeded. Are you sure he's still around?”

 

“It's good Intel, Kisuke,” she said sadly. “Fifty-eight years later and he's back. I have it on good authority that he's seriously gunning for you this time. You can be sure that there **will** be collateral damage.”

 

The blonde stood still for a few heartbeats and then turned to Ichigo, “Ichigo, you and your family need to go to ground for awhile. I don't want any of you hurt by this bastard. Instead of Jinta and Ururu coming here, I'll send them to you. They've seen enough bloodshed.”

 

Ichigo stood and slowly approached his lover, “I agree about my family and your wards, but I'm not going anywhere, Kisuke. I refuse to leave your side.”

 

The blonde gripped the back of the younger man's head, “This isn't negotiable. I won't let him turn you into a target!”

 

Ichigo held his gaze fiercely, “You're right, this is non-negotiable! I'm already a target and I will **not** leave your side. Like it or not, Kisuke, we're in this together!”

 

Yoruichi spoke up, “Kisuke, he's right. He's Hunter-born and could be a valuable asset.”

 

“I won't have it, Yoruichi! I won't put him in that kind of danger,” the blonde shook his head in denial. “I refuse to use him like that!”

 

“It's too late already, Kisuke,” Ichigo spoke quietly. “I'd rather fight and die by your side than get blindsided somewhere away from you. I don't know if I've actually awakened or not but if I can help at all, then I want to! You're not using me if I'm offering.”

 

Yoruichi chuckled, “I think it's already obvious that you have awakened, Ichigo.” She grinned at the boy, “Whether you remember or not, your powers are active. Now we just have to get you to recognize that and train you so that you won't be a liability.”

 

“Thanks for the vote of confidence,” Ichigo commented dryly.

 

“Do I have any say in this?” Kisuke snapped angrily.

 

“No!” they both answered at the same time. They grinned at each other before Ichigo thought of another question he needed answered.

 

“How do you come in to this Yoruichi-san? Are you like Kisuke?” He knew instinctively as he asked that she wasn't a Vampire; however he was certain that she was something not quite human. Her aura was scarier then Kisuke's.

 

She smirked, “Not exactly. I was turned into a Were around the turn of the last century...in America. I met this idiot,” she pointed at the now scowling Vampire, “shortly before I was attacked and he and Tessai helped me adjust to the change. We've been friends ever since.”

 

“And you were with him when he tried to take down that bastard?” he asked.

 

“Yes. And now I'm going to help you train to become stronger so that you can help as well.” She grew deadly serious, “He can not be allowed to escape again.”

 

“I want you to wait until I rise before starting training, you two,” Kisuke interjected.

 

Yoruichi sighed, “We can't waste any time, Kisuke.”

 

“You'll have plenty of time to join in once you wake, Kisuke,” Ichigo agreed. “I feel like I'm lagging further behind with every hour wasted.”

 

The blonde looked at the two now united against him and reluctantly gave in, “Just don't kill each other, alright?” He was not reassured by their twin grins.

 

 


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 7/23/15: Edited a few errors.

 

* * *

Ichigo showed up at Karin's game just as it was ending at five the next evening. He'd wanted to get there a bit earlier but after his late night, he'd overslept. He knew she'd forgive him; she was more concerned about what was happening in his personal life than whether or not he made it to her game in time to see her winning performance.

 

Yoruichi had accompanied him as an unofficial bodyguard, just in case Aizen tried anything. When he'd asked her what she could do, she'd had him flat on his back before the words were even out of his mouth. Her reflexes were incredible even for the Werecat that she said she was. They had decided that she'd keep her distance unless needed, since Karin didn't know her. Ichigo hated the feeling of having a target painted on his back and knew Kisuke was right about his family needing to disappear for awhile.

 

“Ichi-nii!” Karin called while she ran over to him after the last victory cheer had wound down. “It's about time,” she pouted as he hugged her.

 

“Yeah, sorry about that,” he looked abashed. “I overslept. We keep late nights, Karin.”

 

She looked at him levelly, “I don't even **want** to know why that is! Now are you going to explain what's been going on?”

 

He sighed, “I'll try.” He motioned her over to the empty playground and sat down on one of the swings, “It's not something you're going to believe easily.” She glared and motioned for him to continue, “When Kisuke came over two weeks ago, what did you notice about him?”

 

“That he looked younger than Dad and yet was supposed to be decades older,” she promptly answered. “At the time I thought he just had good genes. But then you disappeared and neither Yuzu or Dad seemed to realize it. It was freaky!” she looked every bit the vulnerable little girl at that moment and Ichigo realized just how badly she'd been affected by his disappearance.

 

“I am **so** sorry, Karin!” he apologized sincerely as he leaned over to hug her. “If I'd known, I would've explained it to you then. Please keep an open mind...ok?” When she nodded he quickly went on to give her a cleaned up version of his relationship with Urahara and what the blonde was. When he finally ran down he waited to hear her reaction.

 

She was holding the swing's chain in a death grip as she stared ahead with a blank look on her face. “If you were anyone else, I wouldn't believe it,” she finally declared as she glanced sideways at him. “But I know you and your story's just too weird to be made up. Why are you and I different? And does he want me like he wanted you?”

 

“No, he isn't interested in you that way,” he mumbled with a bright blush flooding his face. “We're like this because Mom was from a Hunter family. Chances are she never knew this. We have a natural immunity to his powers.... Well, at least some of his powers,” he finished. He turned to look at her very seriously as he continued.

 

“Karin, something big is coming. Something big and nasty.” He stood and pulled her up to join him as they began to walk back to the clinic with Yoruichi following at a safe distance. “Kisuke wants to keep you guys safe, so he's going to send you all on a trip.” He looked at her sharply, “To Dad and Yuzu it's going to have already been a summer trip that was planned weeks ago and I need you to play along.”

 

She looked mutinous and he stopped her to explain, “You need to do this! When I say it's bad, I think that's an understatement. I can't have my attention split between you guys and Kisuke! I have to focus on getting stronger with my abilities to be of help to him.”

 

She looked more scared now than angry, “Why? If it's so bad, come with us, Ichi-nii! Don't stay here!”

 

He shook his head, “I can't Karin. I'm a Hunter...I think, and it's kind of hard-wired in me to fight against monsters like this guy, Aizen.” He hesitated and then finally finished, “Plus...I want to be there for Kisuke. To protect him.”

 

She started to grin impishly, “I couldn't help but notice that you keep calling him by his first name, Ichi-nii! So he's...special to you?”

 

His blush came back with a vengeance, “I don't know what....yeah,” he ended lamely. “He is.”

 

They were just turning into their front yard and Karin gave her older brother a tight hug, “Fine, I'll play along; but you better not die on me...got it?”

 

He smirked, “Got it!” Just as Karin was turning to go inside, the door flew open and Yuzu rushed out.

 

“Karin! What took you so long? You know we've got to pack tonight. The plane leaves really early tomorrow!” She waved at her brother, “Onii-san, are you going to see us off tomorrow?”

 

Ichigo smiled a bit sadly, “I'm sorry, Yuzu, but I won't be able to. I hope you guys have a great trip though!” He briefly met Karin's eyes as she went inside with her sister, knowing he could depend on her to keep up the pretense. He couldn't help but feel that this might be the last time he saw either of them.

 

“Are you ready, Ichigo?” Yoruichi asked softly as he watched the two girls go inside and turned away from his former home to face her.

 

“Yeah. Let's do this.”

* * *

Once they were safely home and ensconced down below in the training area, Yoruichi asked, “Exactly what can you do Ichigo?”

 

He scratched the back of his head as he answered, “Not much. I've been able to dream walk and I'm beginning to sense the 'otherness' in people who aren't strictly human. That's about it. It's all stealth tactics...nothing to do with attack.”

 

She grinned, “Maybe so, but that's still good. Let's try to bring out some of your latent attack potential, shall we?”

 

“Ok...how do we do that?” he asked.

 

“Get ready,” she answered with an amused glint in her eyes, “and...behold!”

 

Ichigo's eyes widened as he watched a Were shift for the first time. He flinched as he watched in a kind of fascinated horror while her form shifted as bones popped and reformed; she seemed to almost become liquid before solidifying again. Her hair shifted to cover her body, and her eyes changed to those of a feline. It looked revoltingly painful, but she never made a sound and the changes came across to the boy as wholly natural for the lady. Before long, what stood in front of him was a beautifully sleek, and not too large, black cat.

 

“Wow,” was all he could think of to say. She cocked her head and bowed slightly before rising to pace in front of him. Ichigo barely had time to duck before she lunged at him.

* * *

When Kisuke rose that evening, he proceeded to get ready very quickly. He knew that Yoruichi had planned to take Ichigo downstairs to their training area in order to gauge his strength and abilities so he wanted to quickly check up on them and see how much had actually been accomplished. He was a little worried about their well-fare; he'd wanted to be there with them when they began.

 

He didn't see anyone as he headed downstairs, the place seemed eerily quiet but once he'd landed on the sandy floor he found Yoruichi just regaining consciousness as Tessai helped her up, and Ichigo pacing a few steps away. “Is she alright?” the boy asked worriedly as he saw her waking up.

 

“I'm fine,” she answered for herself but Kisuke noticed that she sounded off and looked decidedly groggy.

 

“What happened?” the blonde asked as all eyes turned toward him.

 

“Well,” Yoruichi answered for everyone as she stood up on wobbly legs with Tessai supporting her, “you're little lover has some kick ass power.”

 

Ichigo spun around and headed towards her, falling to his knees and bowing as he reached her, “I am so sorry, Yoruichi-san! Please forgive me.”

 

“There's nothing to forgive,” she grinned at the young man. “It was my fault for underestimating the situation! And drop the -san already.”

 

“What situation was that!?!” the Vampire asked a bit impatiently as he watched his friend and lover share a look between them. “Come on, you two; no secrets!”

 

“It seems that Ichigo-san has a talent for robbing monsters of their strength,” Tessai began.

 

“Not just their strength, Tessai,” Yoruichi interrupted. She met Kisuke's eyes, “I know how he defeated the Were that attacked his mother. He absorbed the Were's powers, turning him temporarily mortal and then used that ability on the monster himself!”

 

“Wha...?” the older man was confused.

 

Ichigo sighed as he stood and walked over to his lover, “I just now rendered Yoruichi human and attacked her as a Were.”

 

“I wouldn't go so far as to say I became human...but yeah. If I wasn't so fast naturally, I would have died. As it was, I was able to dodge most of his attack. It also seems that he can't hold onto that form for very long before it reverts back to the original wielder.” She looked at the younger man, “We're going to have to work on that. It's a fantastic talent once you gain control of it.”

 

“Yeah, maybe...but I don't want to kill my friends and allies!” he looked horrified at what he'd almost done. “Plus it's not even a full moon, how was I able to...?” he trailed off at her look of triumph. “ **What**!?!”

 

“You can absorb and use abilities regardless of time of day or month! It's fantastic, Ichigo!” she was so excited, she tried to hug the boy but tottered and would have fallen if not for Kisuke's quick reflexes.

 

“Careful, Yor,” he chastised mildly. “We don't want you doing any permanent damage to yourself.” He set her down on a boulder, “You two should have waited for me to rise you know.”

 

“We had Tessai!” Yoruichi protested as she settled herself more comfortably on the ground, using the boulder for a backrest while Tessai checked her over for any further damage.

 

Kisuke sighed and massaged his forehead as he counted to ten, “Fine.” He then turned to Ichigo, “I want to see you in action, Ichigo.”

 

The younger man backed away and crossed his hands in front of him, “No way! I don't want to lose control again! Forg– !”

 

Suddenly the Vampire was behind him and he hadn't even seen the blonde move. He grabbed Ichigo's shoulder and threw him across the room. “What the fuck!?!” the younger man rolled and jumped onto his feet to take a defensive stance, but Kisuke was behind him again and picked him up to smash him onto the floor. He was fully transformed into his Vampire form and Ichigo felt a non-lust-induced shiver run down his back. He snarled and rolled to his feet just out of reach.

 

As Kisuke geared up again, the younger man rushed him and flipped him over his shoulder. He was getting faster. The two jumped apart and gauged each other as they considered their next moves. As Yoruichi and Tessai watched, the two men leapt at one another once more and as Kisuke went for Ichigo's throat, Ichigo ducked and then jumped above the blonde. On his way down he moved into a spin kick right to the blonde's chest that would have broken anyone else's ribs. They separated again and circled one another.

 

Yoruichi was the first to notice the energy weaving between the two men. She shook Tessai's shoulder until he turned to look at what was happening with Ichigo and Kisuke. Both men had energy swirling around them; Ichigo's a whitish blue and Urahara's a blood red. The two colors were weaving together into a powerful net that encircled them both and connected them to one another. “Is this what I think it is?” she asked Tessai who emphatically nodded.

 

“I believe so, Yoruichi-sama,” he answered in awe. “Although I've never seen it before. How do we prove it?”

 

“There's only one way,” she sighed and stood to join in the spar. She was grabbed from behind and held back by the larger man.

 

“Don't you dare,” he snarled into her ear. “If you get mixed up in that, they will kill you! And they'll never forgive themselves.”

 

“But we need to test it!” she glared at her old friend.

 

“Fine, sit down while I test it. I'm much more difficult to kill,” he grinned as he turned from her to head straight at Urahara.

 

Before he was within five feet of the man, a whip of energy shot out from Ichigo, wrapped around his middle and violently flung him back to where Yoruichi was sitting. The second try was a run at Ichigo with the energy shooting out from Kisuke and forming a wall that surrounded them that Tessai could not break through. He walked back to Yoruichi with both a very satisfied look on his face and smoking eyebrows and mustache.

 

“It looks like we were right,” he said as the caramel-skinned beauty snorted.

 

“No kidding!” she grinned. “Now how do we stop them?”

 

“When they're done, they'll stop,” was Tessai's unhelpful reply as he helped her to her feet. “Come on, I'll get you a drink before dinner.”

* * *

An hour later two very tired but satisfied-looking men dragged themselves upstairs and headed straight to their bathroom to clean up. It didn't take them long, much to the other's surprise when they sat down to dinner. Yoruichi definitely had a 'cat that ate the cream' look to her as she waited impatiently to tell them what she and Tessai had figured out. After they were served, Kisuke shot his female friend a sharp look.

 

“What?” was all he asked.

 

She giggled, “We discovered something while you two were sparring. You might have made Ichigo your Thrall, but he Chose you.”

 

The blonde choked on his wine. After he could speak again he croaked out, “ **What**!?! Do you mean what I think you mean?” She nodded as she continued to grin maniacally.

 

“Yep. While you two sparred, we realized that something was different. Your auras are completely intertwined...woven together. I've only heard of that happening when a Hunter selects a Chosen.”

 

Kisuke looked at his two dearest friends with his mouth hanging open, but Ichigo was a little more vocal, “Oi, guys! You know I'm new to all of this, could you give me the simplified explanation?”

 

The Were gave Ichigo a singularly naughty grin as she lunged at him to give him a full-bosomed hug, “It's fantastic Ichigo! I'm not exactly certain how you did it, but you picked Kisuke to be your Chosen!”

 

“That still doesn't mean anything to me,” he said once he could breathe again as he rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment.

 

“Ok,” Kisuke had roused himself to explain, “sometimes Hunters will choose a preternatural partner. What that means is that their powers are connected so that when they fight a common enemy, they are doubly strong. It's a very rare linking of abilities that somewhat minimizes each others weaknesses and shares their strengths. The pair becomes virtually unstoppable.”

 

He gazed into the younger man's eyes and Ichigo saw how rattled he was. “It takes an incredible amount of trust on the Hunter's part to make this kind of connection and it very rarely occurs. Normally Hunters don't trust our kind, even when we become allies.”

 

“So this happened because I let you Enthrall me?” Ichigo asked after a few moments thought.

 

“I think there's more to it than that,” Yoruichi replied smugly. “In order for it to occur, you had to have absolute faith and trust in Kisuke. That's the only way a Choosing works; if both partners feel that way.”

 

Ichigo gave the blonde a little smile, “That goes without saying. I would never have agreed to the Enthrallment if I hadn't completely trusted and believed in you.”

 

Kisuke closed his eyes and then snapped them open and grabbed the back of his lover's neck, drawing Ichigo close to him before firmly sealing their lips together. When he pulled back, he moved the younger man to sit in his lap as he said to their companions, “You know where the door is...goodnight!” and he drew the younger man back into a fierce lip-lock. The blonde wasted no time in rising and making his way to his suite all the while carrying the younger man wrapped around him as they frantically kissed.

* * *

Around the same time Kisuke was literally sweeping Ichigo off his feet, the door to a penthouse apartment flew open as two men strolled in. They had just arrived in Karakura from the States and were a bit worse for wear. Aizen had sent them on ahead to do what they did best.

 

“Well, well, it's nice to see the place hasn't changed,” Gin commented as he looked around the large living area. “What do you plan to do first, Ulquiorra?” he asked with a wide closed-mouthed smile.

 

The smaller brunette solemnly answered with a flat expression, “Unpack. I will inform Aizen-sama of our arrival.” He moved off to the right to his quarters, leaving the silver haired man alone.

 

Gin chuckled before sighing and sitting down on the plush white sofa. He waited until he was certain that he was alone and then snapped open his cell to type out a quick two word message. Once he was certain it had been sent, he deleted the evidence and shut his phone down. He quickly stood and moved further into the apartment to his own quarters, throwing his suitcase onto the bed before moving into the bathroom for a quick shower.

 

As he stripped and allowed the water to heat up he thought back to when he had been much younger. He remembered the soft, plum scented skin and strawberry blonde hair of one of his closest companions. Deep in thought he stepped under the heated spray and let it run over his head and down his body, washing away the day's grime as well as the tears that slowly began to trail down his face.

 

“Soon Ran, soon. I promise you **this** time I'll make certain he pays.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next two chapters are the ones that have been giving me serious trouble. I think I've got a handle on them but I'm not certain how long it'll take me to post the next one. I'm definitely diving out of my comfort zone on these. : )


	12. Spring 1579 – Summer 1590

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fianlly!!! One warning: this chapter has some blood and gore to it, so read cautiously if you're not into that sort of thing. It is necessary though.
> 
> This IS a rather long chapter but I didn't want to turn it into two. The next one will tell the rest of Aizen's back-story and it will probably be fairly long as well. : )
> 
> 7/23/15: Fixed a few errors.

 

* * *

**1579 – Nihon (Japan)**

 

The little brown eyed boy smelled burning while he was out playing behind his home. It was a small, very rural village full of farmers who toiled the soil to raise enough food to feed their families and was a peaceful place. And although his family was poor, the boy had been raised in a joyful, loving home. Times could be tough but they always managed to pull through. He looked up when he heard his mother calling for him and he ran to her with a huge smile and held up a small bouquet of wildflowers for her to see.

 

“Okāsan, look what I picked for you,” he grinned up into his mother's uncharacteristically worried face.

 

Her eyes softened as she took the small tribute and fiercely hugged him to her. “Darling, they're beautiful!” Her expression became worried again as she quickly looked behind her toward the village. She seemed to make up her mind as she turned back to her only child. “Hurry up and come with me,” his mother said as she grabbed his hand and quickly led him up the mountain a bit to a clearing where she let him play on good days. When they arrived, she took him over to a shallow cave and bent down to hug him again.

 

“Sweetheart, I need you to stay here for a while, alright?” At his nod, she continued, “You need to stay here until I come to get you, do you understand? Do **not** come out of this place until I come back for you and definitely do not let anyone you don't know see you.” He began to look curious but she hugged him one more time and quickly hurried away. The little boy shrugged and looked around for something to do.

 

Time passed quickly and the little one noticed that it had begun to get dark. He didn't understand why his mother had not come back for him yet but she had told him to stay put until she returned and he wasn't one to disobey her orders. The burning smell had gotten stronger and then had finally begun to die down. He had heard a lot of noise coming from his village earlier but that was nothing new if a fire had broken out. It made sense that she had left him there if there had been an accident back home; fire never reached the clearing. As the sun completely set, his stomach began to growl and he whimpered as he curled into a little ball and waited for his mother to come back for him.

* * *

Three days had passed since the eradication of the Human village at the foot of the mountain by bandits. The elders had finally given the all clear for the Itachi Yokai to resume their usual routines. Yuuna was glad that she was finally allowed to leave the colony and shifted into a more Human form in order to gather the wild herbs she needed for her healing potions. She had gradually worked her way down to a glade she liked to visit as it held so many of the useful herbs that she needed.

 

She was happily gathering some burdock when she heard a sound off to her left and saw a small bundle of old cloth moving slightly. Curiosity got the better of her and she snuck forward until she saw that the bundle was a little boy. He was filthy, and obviously very weak. His eyes were sunken and his lips were cracked. He couldn't summon the energy to move and she realized that he must be a survivor of the village massacre. He was also not going to last much longer if something wasn't done.

 

As she gazed at the small brown haired boy her heart cried out for him. He had lost everything and probably didn't even understand what had happened. She had lost her own son the previous winter and still grieved for him. As she watched the little one, he tried to move away with a whimper of fear and without thinking over the consequences, she gathered him into her arms and hurried back to her colony.

 

The elders were not happy when she showed up carrying the half dead Human boy, but they understood her need to save him. They did not trust Humans, but they did not exactly hate them either. It was not allowed for their kind to mingle with humanity but all of them were touched by the child Yuuna held in her arms and so they very reluctantly agreed to let him join them if he survived. No one held much hope that he would make it, he was so far gone from starvation and dehydration, but Yuuna was determined and when she made up her mind there was **nothing** she couldn't accomplish.

* * *

**1585**

 

“Okāsan! Okāsan, where are you?” the young boy yelled as he entered the colony he'd been raised in. He had grown into a beautiful boy with shoulder length brown hair and warm brown eyes. He'd been adopted by his mother six years before when he was a toddler after he had lost his entire family in a Human raid on their village and was so traumatized by what he'd suffered that he couldn't speak at first.

 

The rest of the colony had been more than a little upset with her but as the boy, who became known as Satoshi, began to recuperate and interact with the group, they had opened their hearts and accepted him as one of their own and had all helped raise him. He had grown into a fine and intelligent young man with an open heart and an honest demeanor, who was loved and spoiled by everyone within the colony.

 

He finally found her in a meadow gathering medicinal herbs for the rest of the colony. “Okāsan, Sajin asked me to spend the night at his place tonight, would that be alright?” he asked all in one breath.

 

Yuuna chuckled as she watched her excited adopted son. “Did his mother agree?” When he nodded she gave her permission. “Have a good time dear, and come back before dark tomorrow.”

 

He grinned and nodded before rushing off to meet up with his Tanuki friend. Although Satoshi was Human, he'd been raised in the ways of the Yokai and had many friends among the animal spirits that inhabited the mountain. His friends included members from the local Tanuki, Kitsune, and Tengu clans as well as some of the children in their own colony. She was very proud of her boy and with how popular he was. She liked to brag to the elders that her son would be a great man one day...a protector of all Yokai.

 

He arrived safely at the Komamura den and the two boys had a great time with two other of their friends, Masa and Taiki. Taiki was the youngest of the group, a silver haired Kitsune with a wide smile and a conniving personality. He always followed the older boys around like a loyal puppy. Sajin liked to joke that he was more dog than fox, which usually led to Taiki setting him up for some kind of prank. Masa was the odd one out, since he wasn't an animal Yokai at all. He was a dark-skinned Te-no-me who had been adopted by Sajin's parents much like Yuuna had adopted Satoshi. The boys liked to boast about how they'd all be great leaders of their respective clans one day.

 

All children dream of one day becoming great; however most childish dreams usually fade. Satoshi's dreams ended in one of the most horrible of ways. As he headed home the next evening, he smelled blood. The scent became thicker the closer he got to his home. He suddenly realized where the scent was coming from and began to run headlong into the colony. It was a shambles; the bodies of all those he'd loved scattered about. He had been warned of greedy Humans who hunted their kind for both the fame and fortune they could bring. The Humans believed that their pelts, ears, and tails were powerful magick.

 

The hunters were long gone by then and all that remained of the home he'd shared with the Itachi were the broken bodies of his family and playmates. He frantically searched for hours until he finally found his mother, in her animal form; dead and missing her tail and ears. He'd always dismissed the stories as fables to keep him and his friends away from danger. Now he saw just how dangerous Humans could be.

 

As he tenderly held the only mother he remembered, something broke within Satoshi and he swore that he'd make **all** Humans pay.

* * *

It took him months to locate the murderers of his clan and by then he had his plans set firmly in his head. He had decided to attack alone instead of involving his friends and their clans. He didn't want anyone else dear to him to be hurt...and his pride wouldn't allow anyone else to get in strikes against his enemies. He wanted to claim sole victory against those who had destroyed his home. Of course his friends did not like that idea and protested loudly, but Satoshi refused to bow to them. It was his responsibility and he would carry it through.

 

Through very careful surveillance, the boy had discovered that the gang of hunters had a compound roughly a mile away from his mountain and that about ten men lived there. There were no families as far as he could tell and that suited him just fine. He had no compunction killing men who were guilty of murder, but he felt sick to his stomach any time he thought about having to kill an innocent who got in the way.

 

He had found a dry cave near the compound and over a period of six weeks, he gradually built up his stock of weaponry and tools. He had been taught the proper use of both the katana and kusarigama by the colony elders and made certain that both were as sharp as possible before his attack. Finally, the day arrived. Satoshi had decided to make his move on the night of the new moon when the sky was at it's darkest. He had spent the previous week setting up traps and diversions in order to cause as much confusion in the camp as possible; he had no interest in dying alongside the murderers of his family and he wanted to even the odds as much as he could.

 

He looked loaded for bear when he stepped out of his cave and headed toward the Human encampment. The boy had waited patiently for full dark before making his move. He could see as well as any nocturnal creature due to his family's training, and moved silently towards his targets. He got lucky and found one of the men alone, out of sight of the others. From his surveillance, he knew that three were always on guard duty.

 

Satoshi snuck up behind him and swung the chain on his kusarigama hard enough to wrap around the man's neck and snap it; one down. He left the body lying there as bait and hid himself in the trees. It took a short while for the man to be found by one of his partners and before he could sound an alarm, the boy came out from behind again and this time ran the man through with his katana. The only sounds that could be heard were the boy's growling gasps from the effort he was making and the gurgling of blood welling up and out of his victim's mouth; that took care of number two.

 

Satoshi decided to circle in closer to the main part of the encampment and begin picking off his victim's a bit quicker. He knew that time was against him and he needed to strike down as many as possible before the alarm was sounded. He knew most were asleep but there was one more guard roaming about the perimeter.

 

There were a series of huts where most of the men dwelt and the one closest to the tree line was where Satoshi headed next. The bandit didn't even know what hit him when the boy took out his kusarigama and used the sickle-shaped blade to slit him from his throat to his pelvis; he was dead before he even registered the pain, his blood splattering over his killer. Satoshi stared at the cooling body for a bit and decided that killing this way was **not** what he wanted. He wanted these men to know they were being killed; to feel the same fear and pain that they had inflicted upon their victims. With that decided, he withdrew and set to work setting the remainder of the camp on fire.

 

The last guard came rushing back into the camp when the fire began to catch hold, shouting for the others to wake. The remaining men awoke with the shouting and hurried out of their huts just in time to see the man get cut down by what looked like a young boy. It was hard to tell from the fire light and shadows playing around the area, but the attacker was short and lithely built. He was also laughing softly as his latest victim fell. “Catch me if you can!” he shouted to them with suppressed glee.

 

This was more like it! He saw their fear and decided that that was the kind of look that belonged on these Human's faces. He grinned and challenged them, “Four down and six to go! Who is going to stop me?” Then he faded back into the trees. The remaining six fanned out and quickly found the other's bodies. With shouts of fury they began a thorough search for their attacker. Satoshi had other plans as he carefully watched the men search for him and nearly attack each other in the dark.

 

He went back into the camp and continued to destroy it, along with any weapons or belongings he found. He wanted nothing from these men so he happily wrecked and burnt anything that came to light. The bandits slowly began to come back to their camp only to be met with a horrible reality once they returned. Satoshi was there ready and waiting to take them out and they were stupid enough to come back singly rather then as a group. The boy didn't mind; he felt invigorated enough to be able to take all six at once if they had decided to come back as a group. He felt invincible; he was high on his victories and the scent of blood.

 

Unfortunately for the bandits, they weren't very smart and thus enabled Satoshi to finish what he had begun. One by one, the men fell by his hands as he cut into them with both of his bladed weapons. He reveled in the looks of horror bestowed upon him by his victims. The first three of the remaining six fell quickly and then there was a gap of time before the rest returned. This gave the boy some time to really work over his kills into the masterpieces of vengeance he wanted them to be. He hummed in satisfaction as he hacked and cut into the bodies of the fallen bandits. By the time the next man returned, the boy was covered in gore and ready for him. The bandit screamed as Satoshi lunged for him, grabbed his kimono and slit his throat. The boy smiled almost gently as he watched the blood gush out and further coat him. The bandit wasn't killed immediately and his eyes widened when he saw the young man's smile as he curiously stuck his tongue out to taste the thick fluid that gushed from his victim's wound; it wasn't bad. In fact it was rather appealing, Satoshi noted in pleased surprise.

 

A shout came from behind the boy and he threw his current victim casually to the side in order to concentrate on number five. The man rushed at him with his own weapon, a dagger, and the boy sneered as he took out his katana and struck out with it. This man was incensed and much stronger than the others had been and he gave the boy a run for his money but in the end, it wasn't enough and Satoshi was able to add him to his list of victims. The boy had time to really get a good look at the dead bandit and he opened his kimono to take in the very fit body. He almost casually began to trace his sword over the torso, drawing lines across the dead man's chest with the tip of the blade. Since the man's heart had quit pumping, the cuts were not as beautiful to the boy as he had hoped.

 

“I need to remember not to finish the last one off too quickly,” he muttered out loud to himself as he heard heavy footsteps behind him. He turned to see number six, staring at him in horror. He grinned at the man, “What, have you never seen a Shinigami before? I am gathering souls to take to the underworld tonight and you are going be added to the roll.” The man tried to turn and run but Satoshi was faster and grabbed the last bandit by his long hair and threw him to the ground as he raised the blade of his kusarigama to the man's neck and began to almost lovingly slice him open. First he cut the man's vocal chords so he couldn't make a sound, screams really grated against his ears, and then he went to work turning the ugly bandit into a masterpiece....

* * *

**1590**

 

“Look, look, Rodrigo!” the blonde noble shook his valet's shoulder and pointed toward the coastline that was fast approaching. The large brunette smirked at his master with amused tolerance. No matter how long they had been together, his friend never lost his enthusiasm for new sights and adventures.

 

He faced forward and answered, “Yes, I see it. We are about to land, and about bloody time too!”

 

“You are such a kill-joy my friend,” Beltrán Martin sighed with a tolerant smile.

 

“Just trying to even out your hyperactivity, Sir,” he replied. “We will need to find lodging and an interpreter as soon as possible,” he continued. “As well as someone to teach us the language. Where will we be staying again?”

 

“We are landing at the capitol. I believe it is called Kyoto. I have a letter of introduction that needs to be presented at Osaka Castle upon our arrival. Señor Pegado said we were to present the letter to General Toyotomi and he would see us safely settled,” the blonde grinned excitedly. “I can hardly wait to establish trade with this most interesting country!”

 

“Yes, Sir,” was the only comment by his long-suffering friend/valet. Rodrigo de Torres knew better than to rise to the bait the blonde enjoyed throwing out at him. It had taken him nearly a century to become accustomed to Beltrán's sense of humor but after so long he was used to him.

 

Rodrigo was uncertain about this new country but home had become hot for them and they had been forced to emigrate. It was both their fault, they had grown too complacent in Spain over the past century and had not bothered to change their names or whereabouts often enough to fool the officers of the current Inquisition. They were discovered and were declared demonically possessed heretics; the two men had barely escaped with their lives. Fortunately Beltrán had counter measures set in place and they **had** escaped. The only thing the blonde had mourned upon leaving was his palacio; they both knew it would be in the Inquisitors hands by now.

 

Their first stop had been in Portugal where Beltrán had met up with an old business acquaintance. Señor Pegado had mentioned the newly discovered land of Japan and how welcoming it had been to the Portuguese traders that regularly landed there. The two men had discussed the option and had decided to sail to the new country with the intention of establishing a branch of Beltrán's import/export company there.

 

Rodrigo sighed as he turned back to look at the approaching coastline. It looked formidable in the low light of early evening. “Why does it have to be such a backward place?” he asked plaintively much to the blonde's delight.

 

“This is just what we need, my friend,” he answered with a smile. “No one will even think to look for us here and by the time we leave, we will have new identities established.” He paused before continuing, “Besides, who says this place is backward? From what Pegado said the only thing they lacked was western style weapons, which they are importing in vast amounts as we speak,” he motioned to the ship's hold which was packed to capacity with both guns and ammunition.

 

The larger man sighed again. He didn't want to give in and admit that he was homesick already. He wasn't quite as easily changeable as his friend; he liked his home country.

 

Beltrán clasped his shoulder in sympathy; he understood all too well what his friend was going through. “I know this place is not home, but it could grow to be. Give it a chance mi amigo.” Rodrigo silently nodded with a huff through his mustache and watched as they finally docked offshore and the cargo began to be unloaded.

 

About an hour later, they were approached by the ship's captain and first mate. “ Señors,” the captain addressed both men, “your letter of introduction was received and you have been invited to the castle to stay until you can find appropriate accommodations. General Toyotomi is willing to loan you a guide and an interpreter in exchange for first claim on anything you import into the country.”

 

“As long as he is willing to pay for what he wants, that is fine with me,” Beltrán smiled.

 

“Of course...although the occasional gift of appreciation will go a long way to seeing you properly established.” The man gave him a knowing look. Beltrán laughed outright at that.

 

“Understood.”

* * *

Before long, they were escorted to Osaka Castle by the ship's first mate and were led into a side chamber to wait until someone could show them to their lodgings.

 

Beltrán kept poking his head out the door and windows in order to see as much of the castle as possible. From what he could see in the low light, it had the potential to be a truly magnificent edifice when the construction was finished...it already was. Although at the moment it was mostly dusty. “How long do you think it will take them to finish this place?” he excitedly asked Rodrigo.

 

The brunette shrugged and briefly stuck his head out the door to look around as well, “From what we could see from the outside, I'd say another ten years or so and that is if no one expands on the original plans too much. You know how it is back home. What starts out simple becomes greater and greater...and then the money runs out and construction is never completed.”

 

The blonde laughed at that acerbic conclusion as the two men heard someone entering the room behind them. They turned to find a young man; no more than a boy, really. Beltrán looked the newcomer over appreciatively. He must have been in his teens and was slightly shorter than the blonde and very fit with soft brown hair that fell across his face. He had warm brown eyes that seemingly looked upon the strangers kindly as he bowed to the two men and spoke in fluent Portuguese, “I welcome you to Kyoto and Osaka Castle. My master asked me to be your guide while you reside in our country. I am known as Satoshi and am fluent in both Japanese and Portuguese. If it pleases you, I have been instructed to educate you in both our language and customs.”

 

As the boy straightened Beltrán bowed in return and answered, “I am known as Beltrán Martin and my friend here is called Rodrigo de Torres. We would be delighted to have you teach us all about this amazing country and its customs.” As he straightened he held out his hand and the boy hesitantly shook it and then turned and bowed to Rodrigo before shaking his hand as well.

 

“If you gentlemen could follow me, I will show you to your quarters,” he smiled and led them away.

* * *

The next few months passed in a flurry of activity for the two Europeans. Both Beltrán and Rodrigo worked tirelessly to learn the language and customs of the land and even though young, Satoshi was an excellent teacher. They had their own lodgings within three months of landing in their new home and Beltrán began shipping and receiving goods by six months.

 

The blonde discovered a kindred spirit in the boy and as unusual as it seemed the two became fast friends that were practically inseparable. Beltrán found him to be an interesting puzzle. He was quiet and very well-behaved but underneath the older man felt a passion that made him curious. He wanted to know what drove the boy.

 

Satoshi was also very intelligent and could talk to the blonde on an equal footing. Beltrán quickly discovered that the young man was an orphan and did not have an easy time with his current master. He was in training as a scribe and the man was a hard taskmaster; whenever Satoshi made even the slightest misstep, he was harshly beaten for it. This prompted the blonde to invite him to come see them whenever things became too hard for him. Satoshi seemed grateful and by nine months had practically moved in with the other two men.

 

Beltrán's curiosity gave way to attraction and as time went by, into love for the young man. He saw so much potential that he couldn't help himself and he began trying to figure out a way to bring Satoshi completely into his life. The boy seemed oblivious to his overtures, treating both men with respect due to their status and nothing more.

 

Beltrán realized quickly that he was on his own in this endeavor; for some reason Rodrigo wasn't as taken with their tutor. He never said anything against the boy but the two older men had been together long enough for the blonde to realize that Rodrigo did not trust Satoshi and he wondered about it. However, both men had too much respect for each other and care for their friendship to let their difference in opinion change their own relationship.

 

For his part, Satoshi was fascinated by the two Europeans. They were...different. They treated him as an equal and Martin-sama constantly challenged his intellect, but not in a negative way. The younger man could tell that the questions asked were meant to teach, not intimidate or demean. He grew to like them, although it was against his will. He wanted to hate all Humans, but these two messed with all of his boundaries. He actually liked and respected them; and in the case of Martin-sama...he felt more.

 

He knew the older man was attracted to him and at first he thought he could use that weakness to his advantage. Then he grew to like the man and he stopped trying to use the attraction against him. In fact, he began to return those feelings, but he didn't know what to do with them since he had no experience in such things. He finally decided to enjoy the attention but to act like he had no clue as to the other man's attention.

 

His time with his new friends began to cut into what he had dubbed his 'playtime' with the Humans around him. His first kills might have been when he was ten years old but they were not his last. He had developed a taste for 'hunting' after his daily duties were dispensed with, but after a while he opted to visit the two men rather than hunt and play with his prey. This was confusing to him too. No human beings should be as much fun as these two men were...especially the blonde.

 

It was only a matter of time before the choice of whether or not to tell was taken out of Beltrán's hands. Satoshi was around so much that he was bound to sense something amiss and become curious. The boy didn't understand but decided to discover his new friend's secret. He thought it might help him clarify his own very confused feelings. One night, he was headed over to Martin-sama's home when he spied Rodrigo slipping out the back way. Curiosity getting the better of him, Satoshi decided to follow the man as he headed into the night. It didn't take long for the boy to discover what the older brunette had been hiding.

 

Rodrigo walked straight into a densely wooded area and began to stalk a sika deer. Satoshi was curious as the man had no weapon in evidence but was obviously hunting the animal. Before he could make up his mind to back off or continue, he was both shocked and riveted by what happened next. Rodrigo pounced on the unsuspecting animal and before the younger man knew what was happening, had broken the deer's neck with his bare hands. What happened next made Satoshi back away as quietly as he could, never taking his eyes off of the fascinating scene in front of him.

 

He had never witnessed anything as feral as Rodrigo literally ripping the animal apart and consuming it there on the spot. The sound of bones breaking and the sight of the blood splatter alone was enough to make him turn tail and run away as fast as he could. He had never seen anything so dangerous...or enthralling.

 

He was in a daze as he made his way to Beltrán's home, where the blonde found him. Satoshi was in a state of shock as far as the blonde could determine and so he brought the boy inside and set him down in the warmest room in his home. The younger man came back to himself to find that he was wrapped in a blanket by the fire pit and his host's warm grey eyes focused on him worriedly.

 

“My dear boy, what happened to you?” Beltrán asked. It took awhile but he finally got the whole story from the younger man. He sighed and sat back with a deep frown on his face. Satoshi noticed that his friend was concerned but no where near horrified.

 

“Martin-sama, why are you not more shocked by your servant's actions?” he asked with a frown of his own.

 

Beltrán gave him a half-smirk as he thought about how to answer him. “I have been well aware of my friend's culinary **requirements** for some time. I am only sorry that you had to witness it. He is usually much more careful than this.”

 

As Satoshi listened with growing fascination, Beltrán reluctantly entrusted him with his story. By the time he'd finished, the brunette was sitting on the edge of his seat with his mouth agape. He'd never met anyone who'd been **turned** into a Yokai before (for that was what he likened the older men's status to). All the ones he had known up until now had been born that way. And even though both Spaniards were unlike any Yokai he'd ever heard of, Satoshi only had his own experiences to draw upon. This was news he had to think upon carefully. These men were not the hateful Humans he had first thought them to be. It made sense, their unique conditions were the reason he liked and trusted them. He must have instinctively known that they were not normal Humans!

 

He sat up a bit more correctly and shut his mouth when he realized that Martin-sama had stopped speaking and was grinning at him knowingly. Satoshi blushed at being so caught up in his own thoughts that he hadn't realized. “S-so what happens now?” he asked, not quite meeting the older man's eyes.

 

Beltrán sighed and asked as he agitatedly ran his hand through his hair, “Can you find it in your heart to

keep this a secret?”

 

The younger man nodded eagerly, “I see things differently from most Humans. You know that I was orphaned?” At the older man's nod he continued, “I was raised by Yokai after my parents were killed by other Humans and I do not believe that they are automatically evil. You have accepted me into your life as both a friend and an equal. I do not take that trust lightly. I can easily keep this to myself.”

 

Beltrán reached out a hand to tentatively cup the brunette's cheek. “Thank you. You have no idea how indebted I am to you,” he said softly.

 

The younger man closed his eyes and leaned into the hand gently touching him. **Now** , he could let himself go and enjoy this man's attention. Finally, he understood.

* * *

Beltrán had just seen the boy off when Rodrigo arrived back. He motioned the bigger man into their living room and quickly explained what had happened. The brunette was understandably upset with himself.

 

“Forgive me, Tensho! I had no idea I was being followed,” he said as he paced the room.

 

“What is done is done, mi amigo,” the blonde sighed. “It is a wonder that he is so accepting of our condition. He told me that he was raised by Yokai and has given us the same title. He sees us as allies and friends because of our differences. He also finally accepted my overtures. I think it's because he knows that we are no longer human. For some reason, he does not trust human beings.”

 

Rodrigo nodded, “That might have been what I was picking up on from him before. Since my change, I have learned how to read the energy of others and his was always untrustworthy. It might have been because he **could** not trust us. Do you think he will keep our secret?”

 

Beltrán nodded, “I am certain of it. If things go the way I plan, I believe I'll be able to Enthrall him.”

 

The brunette looked at him intently as he asked, “Do you think that is wise? Might it not be better to turn him into a pet instead?”

 

The blonde thought the question over carefully before finally shaking his head, “No. He has a brilliant mind and I would hate to rob him of his will and intelligence in such a way. I do not require a sex slave. He challenges me and I would hate to give that up.”

 

Rodrigo gave his friend a considering look, “I understand that drive in you. I will try to be more accepting of him. I trust your intelligence to do the right thing and not let your libido lead you by the nose.”

 

Beltrán smirked as he dryly replied, “I appreciate your confidence, my friend.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was a difficult chapter for me to write. I've been working on it since December and it didn't want to come together. Unfortunately, it's an important one, so I had to stick with it. I've rewritten it about five times now and this version is as good as it's going to get!
> 
> I don't usually ask for feedback, but I would love to hear what you think for this one. Any constructive criticism is always appreciated! ^^


	13. Fall 1600 AD

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yea!!! I'm back in business with this story. Unfortunately, this chapter had to be broken into two. Otherwise it would have been way too long. I'll finish Aizen's back story a little later, after I've posted 2 or 3 more chapters of the modern one.
> 
> One warning, this one contains a rather graphic description of a murder victim. It was necessary, in my opinion.

 

* * *

Ten years passed very quickly for the two Europeans. Beltrán did finally Enthrall Satoshi and the three men worked well together. The business flourished and they were happy with their situation. Satoshi had taken on the job of Beltrán's assistant and handled all contracts and correspondence for his lover. He'd also become the older man's lab assistant whenever the Vampire wanted to experiment with the volatile compounds he was fascinated by.

 

One evening, Rodrigo had just arrived back from hunting his dinner when he heard an explosion coming from their home. He raced forward as he saw the other two run out of the building; smoke billowing out behind them. As he saw the roof begin to cave in, he sighed in exasperation.

 

“Tensho, what did you do this time?” he asked resignedly while the blonde tried to look chastised. He failed miserably; he was too elated. “This is the third time you have blown the roof off this year.”

 

“I was testing a question about the gunpowder used nowadays,” the blonde explained as if it should have been obvious. “I wanted to see if we could get a bigger or smaller bang by changing the chemical composition. Sulfur is a very interesting substance,” he concluded thoughtfully with a bright smile.

 

Rodrigo just shook his head and said, “I will gather the builders together tomorrow to repair the house...again.”

 

“Maybe I should do that,” Satoshi said with a gentle smile. “The last time you tried to get the workmen to come, you terrified them.” As the large man huffed into his mustache, he continued, “And this is all my fault anyway. I'm the one who miscalculated the amount of sulfur needed.”

 

Rodrigo grinned and shook his head, “I have known Beltrán for many years. I know exactly what he is capable of. This was **not** your fault.” He patted the younger man on the shoulder and strode toward the house to make certain that it wouldn't burn down overnight.

* * *

The next day, after Satoshi had lined up the repair work, he met his friends for a late lunch. The three had finally mastered their human transformations and could mingle with Humans without anyone the wiser. They had all grown out of their childishness over the past decade, reaching adulthood for Yokai and didn't look out of place at the tavern.

 

“Hello everyone,” Satoshi greeted them with a genuine smile.

 

“Sat-Sat! Sit down, I have sooo much to tell you guys!” Taiki greeted their Human friend with a wide smile as Masa nodded solemnly and Sajin grunted a greeting of his own. Satoshi chuckled at the younger man's antics as he joined them at their table.

 

“We're celebrating!” Taiki continued, still grinning from ear to ear. “I have some great news!”

 

“Alright, alright,” the brunette humored him as he made himself comfortable. Over the last ten years, he hadn't been able to see as much of his childhood friends as he would have liked; his lover kept him **very** busy.

 

They talked, joked, and laughed as they gave their orders and waited for the food to arrive, just catching up with one another. Sajin had finally taken over the leadership of his clan and Masa was working in the slowly growing town of Edo. Finally, over dessert, Taiki let them all in on his surprise.

 

“I am getting married!” he told them, shocking them all; his blue eyes practically glowing at their stunned expressions.

 

“C-congratulations!” Satoshi stammered as the other two gaped at the silver haired Kitsune.

 

“Felicitations,” Masa finally managed to get out. “Who is she?” he asked, leaning forward in interest.

 

“Is it a she?” Sajin offered, with a smirk as he patted his friend on the shoulder.

 

“Of course she's a she!” Taiki huffed, still smiling. “I am **not** interested in cock.”

 

“You don't know what you're missing,” Satoshi murmured goodnaturedly, laughing at his friend's shocked expression as the other two laughed. “So...tell us. Who is she? How did you meet? What kind of Yokai is she?”

 

“Hold on!” Taiki chuckled. “One question at a time! Her name is Rangiku and I met her about five years ago, here in Kyoto. She was a child then and I had to wait this long before I proposed. Her guardian wouldn't consider it before she turned fifteen.”

 

“Well, I should hope not, you cradle robber!” Sajin joked. Taiki stuck his tongue out at his friend, garnering another laugh all around.

 

“So how did you meet?” Satoshi asked, dying of curiosity. Taiki's expression grew softer as he thought back.

 

“I had come to Kyoto on business and one of my contacts brought me to this...establishment.” He looked a little embarrassed before he continued, “It was a brothel.” Before anyone could comment, he hurried on, “Anyway, while I was there I saw a little girl running around outside.” He grinned at his friends. “She was something else! Feisty and completely full of fun. I asked who she was and the madame told me her name and that she'd been born to one of her ladies. She then told me that one day she'd become like the rest of the women who worked there. Madame Kirio looked so sad when she said it, like that was the last thing she wanted for the little girl. I lost all interest in the whores and went outside to introduce myself.”

 

“So you were able to hide your nature?” Sajin asked with an eyebrow cocked in disbelief.

 

Taiki grinned, “I was able to well enough but it took a lot of concentration then. Anyway, Rangiku asked if I wanted to play with her. I think she got bored with no other children around. I agreed and we played for awhile.” He noticed the knowing looks on his friends faces and quickly shook his head.

 

“It was perfectly innocent, I swear!” His expression softened. “ **She** was perfectly innocent...and beautiful, even then. We ran around outside with her hiding and me trying to catch her until she suddenly tripped me. I was so startled, I lost my focus and my ears and tail popped out.

 

“She was fascinated rather than scared. I'd never had anyone scratch behind my ears like that before,” he continued blissfully, ignoring the concerned expressions on his friend's faces. He shivered as he continued, “She just accepted me as is and asked so many questions; as well as promised to keep my secret. Once I got her off of me, I went back inside and asked the madame for her hand. Madame Kirio at first looked relieved, then she gave me a very serious look and told me that I'd have to wait until Ran turned fifteen. I agreed with the condition that no one be allowed to touch her. The madame was very happy with that and agreed wholeheartedly. Anyway, I've been courting the girl ever since and I'm taking her home with me this weekend!”

 

Satoshi sat in shocked disbelief as the other two continued to congratulate their friend. “So she's a **Human** , not a Yokai?” he asked, just to make certain.

 

“Of course,” Taiki replied, not noticing the way Satoshi had said 'Human.' “She's never held our different nature's against me. In fact, she'd looking forward to meeting everyone in my clan.”

 

Satoshi knew he had to keep his wits about him. Taiki was too smitten for him to be able to be honest about how **wrong** this was; he knew his friend wouldn't listen. So he smiled, biting back the hate-filled words he wanted to say.

 

“You know my feelings about Humans. I just want you to be sure about your decision,” he managed to get out in a normal tone.

 

Taiki frowned, “I thought you had moved past your prejudices about them, Sat-Sat. Your lover is Human after all.” Satoshi's eyes widened. He'd kept Beltrán's true nature to himself, understanding that his lover did not want everyone knowing about it. Now that decision was coming back to bite him on the ass.

 

“That is not exactly true,” he murmured, garnering everyone's attention. He cleared his throat before continuing, “He is a Western Yokai.”

 

“I didn't know the West had Yokai,” Sajin said in a low voice to keep anyone from overhearing them.

 

“They aren't called that, but yes they do,” Satoshi nodded, his mind still reeling from Taiki's news. He looked at his younger friend seriously, “Are you certain you want to align yourself with a Human? Will this...girl make you happy?”

 

The Kitsune looked blissful, “I know she will.”

* * *

Satoshi was beside himself with fury. He'd kept his true feelings buried deep down until he was able to leave his friends, but as he was left alone to his own thoughts, his rage grew. 'How could he fall for a **Human**?' he sneered to himself. 'She'll get her hooks into him and never let go!' His steps led him to the red light district as he decided to see the girl for himself.

 

He found the right brothel and quickly hid himself as he watched the backyard, hoping to see this Rangiku. It turned out to be the right thing to do, for as he watched, a young woman walked out and began sweeping the back porch. A few moments later two other, older women walked out, one waving a missive and calling out the girl's name.

 

The younger woman dropped her broom as she grabbed the letter, quickly scanning its contents before squealing. The watching man winced at the shrill tone.

 

'Well, he was certainly not kidding,' he thought to himself. 'She **is** beautiful.' She had long strawberry blonde hair that fell down her back in gentle waves, she was tall and had a figure that could send any man into ecstasy. 'She looks as if she was born just to be a whore,' Satoshi thought to himself snidely as he withdrew. He had plans to make and did not have much time. In his twisted mind he had decided to save his friend from himself. There was no way he'd let that cunt destroy Taiki.

* * *

He got his chance sooner than he had thought possible. Beltrán was hip-deep in another experiment two days later and had let Satoshi know that he was free for the evening, much to the younger man's delight.

 

Over the past two days, he had been watching the brothel and learning the daily routine. He'd found the whore's room, he refused to call her anything else, and was happy to note that it was far away from the more adult activities the other women indulged in. He knew that would come in handy with what he was planning to do.

 

That night, he dressed himself very carefully. He wanted to look successful but not too aristocratic, he didn't want to scare her. He had written a letter of introduction, presumably from Taiki; he was good at faking all of his friend's handwriting, and stowed it inside one of his inner pockets, along with a dagger that Beltrán had given him for his twenty-first birthday, before he set out.

 

Satoshi came up to the back of the whorehouse and found Rangiku's room easily enough. She was sitting outside it on the back porch, her legs folded under her as she star-gazed with a wistful smile on her face. His expression softened, this was going to be fun.

 

As he stepped up to the porch, the young woman jumped up, looking as if she was going to run back inside. He smiled and held up a hand reassuringly as he reached for the letter to give her. “My name is Satoshi, I am a friend of Taiki's,” he said as she paused and slowly took the letter from him. “I believe you are Rangiku, yes?”

 

She quickly read the missive and smiled charmingly up at the kind-looking man in front of her. “Yes, I am! Taiki has told me so much about you, as well as Sajin and Masa,” she answered. “It says here that you are here to explain what will happen Friday.” She motioned for him to follow her, “Come on! We can talk inside.”

 

Satoshi smiled, this was going to be easier than he had thought. Her innocence was definitely working in his favor.

* * *

The next evening, Beltrán was awakened by a pounding on the front door. By the time he made it to the front of the house, he saw Rodrigo talking to a couple of soldiers and Satoshi was no where to be seen.

 

“Tensho! Good evening, these men have come to ask for your help.”

 

“Good evening, gentlemen,” he greeted the soldiers. “Come in and tell me what is wrong.” He turned to Rodrigo, “Where is Satoshi?”

 

“I sent him on some errands in preparation for our trip to Edo.” Beltrán nodded and returned his attention to the two men.

 

“Martin-sama, there has been an incident in the red-light district,” the senior officer began. “A young girl has been killed and we were sent to fetch you.” Beltrán frowned.

 

“What can I do to help?” he asked in confusion.

 

“The General has been very impressed with your investigative skills in the past and he requested your help in this matter.” The blonde noticed how pale the other man was and his curiosity spiked. Generally, soldiers were unflappable when it came to death, this must have been a very messy one.

 

“Of course, I will do what I can,” he replied as he stepped out with the two men.

 

They made good time and Beltrán was shown into a very well-tended establishment and introduced to the grieving madame. She had probably been a looker when she was younger, but now she came off as more motherly rather than sexy. She had a **very** matronly figure with her colored purple hair piled high on the back of her head in a bun. He sat down beside her and patted her on the back.

 

“My name is Beltrán Martin and I am here to help. What can you tell me?” he asked her.

 

“M-my name is Kirio, I run this house,” she began, trying to get herself under control in order to help. “When R-Ran...giku didn't come down for either breakfast or lunch, I went...to get her,” she gasped as she remembered what she'd found. After taking a few deep breaths, she continued, “She...is...dead, my beautiful girl!”

 

After a few moments she pulled herself together a bit and looked at the blonde foreigner. She knew of this man's reputation and knew that he was sometimes called on to help solve difficult problems. She clutched his kimono as she continued, “No one has the right to do what they did to her! No one!”

 

He smiled sadly as he tried to comfort the distraught woman; he needed information but he could be patient when necessary. “Where is her room?” he finally asked, deciding that he'd need to see for himself what had happened. Madame Kirio obviously could not articulate it.

 

She stood, “This way.” She led the way to the back of the building and stopped outside a closed door before turning to the blonde man. “Her young man came to see her right after I...I found her. He is still here, and not doing very well.” She glared at the officer who had followed them. “These idiots thought that he must have had something to do with it and were not very kind to him.” Tears welled up in her eyes again, “They were to be married Friday.”

 

Beltrán sighed before giving her a bracing look. “I will see to him after I look in on her, alright?” She nodded and turned away to go tend to the young man, he supposed. The officer opened the door and stood back, obviously not wanting to enter the room. The blonde shook his head and entered alone, immediately wishing he hadn't.

 

The girl, she was too young to be called a woman no matter where she lived, was lying face up on her bed. That was where his brain shut down at the sight before him. For the first time in his long life, he wished he could throw up the bile he felt rise in his stomach. The sight that met him was horrifying. He turned away from the girl, covering his face with his hand and took a few deep breaths before facing the bed once again. This time he looked at the body carefully.

 

She had been beautiful; it was easy enough to see as her face had been left alone. She almost looked as if she were asleep, but for the mess the rest of her body was in. Beltrán leaned forward to look carefully at the girl's neck, or what was left of it. He saw bruising on it, just below her chin. It was almost hidden by the blood from the cut across her throat. He stood up and looked at the way the room was situated. The bed was too close to the wall on the left for the killer to have struck from that side, so he had to have attacked from the right and cut her throat from left to right. Most of the blood splatter seemed to bear out that supposition. After that the killer had stayed and worked over her body with his knife, cutting her from her neck down to her groin. Most of her organs were still attached, the only seemingly missing parts being her reproductive organs.

 

Beltrán stood up and took another few deep breaths; nauseated by both the brutality of the crime as well as the stench and trying not to gag. He began to look around the room and finally did gag when he found most of the missing organs in a heap under some clothes on the floor by the bed. Most, but not all. He'd almost stepped on them while he had examined the body. As he once again got his nausea back under control, he saw something else that made his blood run cold. Near the window, he found a small perfect pearl, a match to the ones that decorated the handle of a dagger he'd given his lover on one of his birthdays.

* * *

Taiki was sitting, huddled in a blanket, in the front room; his head hanging as he thought over what he'd seen. He had come to the brothel to visit Rangiku and let her know how their wedding plans were coming along. He had been so happy, only to be met at the door by a hysterical Madame Kirio. He hadn't listened to her; realizing that his love was in trouble, he had barreled into her room and frozen at the sight.

 

It was both familiar and...not. He had seen bodies like the one splayed out on the bed, and they had been Satoshi's handiwork. Both he and Sajin had seen what was left of the bandits after their friend had finished with them. At the time they had thought it justified.

 

Rangiku had been murdered by his so-called friend, he was certain of it but he had no proof. In no way was her death justified! Now a stranger was looking at the body of the girl he loved and trying to figure out what had happened. Taiki did not care if he tried to pin her death on him. He would welcome the release now...at least then they would be together, even if it **was** in death.

 

The soldiers had already taken their grief out on him and he had not even tried to defend himself, the madame stepping in between him and his attackers. His Ran had been very popular with the soldiers, who had treated her like a younger sister. Everyone had loved her bright personality and he...he had adored her.

 

He heard voices outside the room, but didn't move as the blonde entered and observed him. Taiki could feel his eyes burning holes into his bent head. The blonde finally turned his back to him and slammed the door in anger.

 

At that Taiki slowly looked up and met kind grey eyes. “My name is Beltrán Martin and I am so sorry for the soldier's stupidity.”

 

“W-what makes you think they are stupid?” the young silver haired man asked, not understanding what was going on.

 

Beltrán sat down with a world weary sigh. “I know you did not butcher that poor girl,” he said softly.

 

Realization came slowly to the poor Kitsune. “You are Satoshi's lover,” he spit out.

 

“And how do you know him?” the blonde coolly asked.

 

“He is...was my friend,” the younger man whispered as he closed his eyes in grief.

 

“You know he killed her.” It wasn't a question.

 

“Yes. Did he tell you about the bandits that killed his clan when he was younger?” the silver haired Kitsune asked.

 

Beltrán nodded, “He told me that bandits killed his birth family's village and that he was adopted by Yokai.”

 

Taiki looked at him in surprise, his blue eyes wide open. “He didn't tell you what happened to **them**?” When the other shook his head in confusion, he continued, “They were killed by bandits as well. He was old enough by then and swore revenge. He took them all out single-handedly. You saw his technique in that bedroom. He cut them up in exactly the same way...only not quite so carefully.” He swallowed hard, “He took his time...with her.”

 

The older man frowned. “I can understand why he killed those bandits, but why kill that child? It does not make any sense.”

 

Taiki's expression morphed into one of guilt. “It was my fault. I knew he hated Humans...but I thought he had changed. I thought you were Human, you see.” At Beltrán's nod he continued, “We were to be married, Rangiku and me. He obviously could not let that happen.” He looked at the blonde in despair, tears sliding down his face as he repeated softly, “It is all my fault.”

 

“No it is not!” the blonde snapped. “Do you have any evidence other than what you saw?” he continued more quietly. Taiki frowned and shook his head.

 

“Why do **you** suspect him?” the Kitsune asked curiously. Beltrán slowly showed him the pearl.

 

“I gave him a dagger that was decorated with several of these pearls along the handle. See the color? I had never come across golden-colored pearls before; the weapon was unique which is why I bought it for him. I need to check his dagger and see if one is missing.” He took a deep breath and gave the younger man an assessing look before he continued, “Bits of her internal organs are missing as well. Once I find what was stolen, I'll know who did it.” He met Taiki's clear blue eyes steadily.

 

“If he did it, I swear to you I will stop him.”

 

Taiki nodded and faced Beltrán squarely, “If you do not... **I** will.”

 


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy!

 

* * *

For the first time Ichigo awoke the next day in his lover's arms. It was a little weird, and not just because Kisuke hadn't moved him back to his own room. The man beside him wasn't breathing and his body was almost ice cold. Ichigo knew the blonde wasn't dead; Kisuke was old enough that when he truly died there'd be nothing left of his body...it would turn to dust. He gave the blonde a worried but affectionate look as he gently wormed his way free of him and kissed him on the lips before heading to his own room to clean up and change.

 

As he dressed he reflected over the night before and began to blush. The entire situation, including his own reaction to it, had been surreal. He'd never questioned his sexuality before; he knew his family would accept him no matter what, and they had when he'd finally told them his preferences. 'But last night...' the confused thought trailed off as he cast his mind back over the previous night.

* * *

 After leaving the dining room, the two men backed into the foot of the large bed and Ichigo sat down heavily as Kisuke knelt in front of him and ran his hand over Ichigo's growing arousal, “May I?”

 

His lover looked at him as if he was crazy, “Yes! Please....” was all he managed to say before the long fingers were inside his pants, unfastening them and bringing his hardened length into view.

 

Kisuke whispered, “Lay back. Let me turn you into a wanton tonight. I want to see you thoroughly debauched before I take you again.”

 

Ichigo's eyes darkened from milk to dark chocolate as he did as requested. The blonde slowly unfastened the buttons on his shirt and began to run his hands across the exposed flesh; suckling at one revealed nipple and then the other as his lover threw his head back as well as to the side...and froze. “Kisuke...” he pointed at the door.

 

The blonde noticed the change in his voice and looked to where he was pointing; and saw Yoruichi leaning against the door frame. “Damn it, Yoruichi!” he snarled.

 

She grinned lasciviously at the pair, “Don't mind me, Kisuke. I'm enjoying the show.”

 

Ichigo's eyes widened when he felt his length harden even more at her provocative words and he groaned as his startled eyes met his lover's. “N-no! Leave now!” he squeaked as he struggled to move away and cover himself. He was both deeply embarrassed and turned on more than he'd ever been before and didn't know what to do about it.

 

Kisuke looked at him with an enigmatic expression, thinking over his options before he stood and jerked his head towards the doorway, silently telling the woman to leave. She huffed but slowly backed out of the room and closed the door behind her which Kisuke quickly locked.

 

The blonde turned back to his lover and smirked at the younger man, “So you liked that idea, huh? Would you like to give her a show sometime?” his voice was playful once more and the younger man could do nothing but moan again as Kisuke began to stroke him.

* * *

Ichigo shook his head free of his troubled thoughts and went in search of breakfast; finding Tessai in the kitchen.

 

“Good morning, Ichigo-san,” Tessai greeted him with a knowing smirk that had the boy blushing again. “I hope that associating with Kisuke-sama won't completely wipe that ability out,” he continued with a genuinely warm smile.

 

“I don't know what you're talking about,” Ichigo mumbled as he sat down to eat. Tessai shook his head and poured himself some coffee before sitting down across the kitchen table from the boy.

 

“Yes you do. Kisuke- and Yoruichi-sama have been friends a long time, and they have a very compatible kink,” he carefully explained as he met worried warm brown eyes. “Kisuke-sama was born during a time when just about anything was fine, sexually speaking. And I mean **anything**. He has no hang ups about what is acceptable and what isn't,” he paused. “He is the king of all perverts and if he has his way, you'll join him in his...interests.” Ichigo frowned as the brunette continued, “And he unquestionably enjoys being watched. Yoruichi-sama, on the other hand, just as much enjoys watching 'two hot men going at it',” he continued. Ichigo could hear the quotation marks around that last part.

 

“That sounds like her,” he grinned, still blushing as he shook his head. “Does she ever participate?” he asked, while scooting his food around on his plate.

 

“No. She prefers women and has had an on/off relationship with one of her pack for decades. When the Boss has a choice, he prefers men; although he won't turn down a woman in a pinch.”

 

Ichigo snorted, “You mean when he feeds.”

 

Tessai grinned, “The two go hand-in-hand, or hadn't you noticed?”

 

“I noticed.” He stood to clear his place at the table. “So last night was the normal routine for them?”

 

“Ichigo,” Tessai made certain he had the younger man's attention, “Kisuke-sama told Yoruichi-sama that she wasn't allowed to watch. He didn't want to frighten you off or make you uncomfortable. She decided on her own to give it a shot and see what developed. Her showing up in his room last night was as much a surprise to him as it was to you.”

 

The younger man finally chuckled, “I figured as much. He did seem pissed off with her. And she's always impressed me as one who moves to the beat of her own drum. At least he **did** send her away.”

 

As Ichigo began to wash his dishes he asked, “Why he didn't move me last night? This was the first time I actually woke in his bedroom.”

 

“He has been moving very carefully with you, Ichigo. He may not say it, but he cares deeply for you and he hasn't wanted to frighten you away. It also shows the depth of trust he has in you. He hasn't allowed a lover to wake in his room for centuries. Not since...” he trailed off uncertainly.

 

“Not since Aizen? I know,” came the quiet reply. “Is that why he keeps his bedroom door locked too?”

 

When he saw Tessai nod he continued, “I wish he trusted me more easily, although I understand his hesitance. I've never felt this way about anyone...and it's not as if I didn't already know he was a pervert! He's made that perfectly clear,” he grinned over his shoulder at the brunette. “Full disclosure is easier in the long run anyway,” he continued with a scowl. “He just needs to be straight with me about himself; about what he enjoys. If I haven't run yet, I won't.” He paused to think that over, “Well, unless I catch him lying to me. **That** is the only thing he could do that would ruin our relationship.”

 

Tessai nodded as he brought his empty plate over, “And that's the one thing he'll never do, Ichigo-san.”

 

“That's good to know,” upon hearing the words in stereo, Tessai and Ichigo turned to see the blonde in the doorway.

 

Kisuke had made it to the kitchen in time to hear the end of Ichigo and Tessai's conversation and he was glad that Ichigo seemed to be taking his oddness in stride; although he wasn't too happy at being discussed so frankly behind his back. Tessai realized this and excused himself until the storm clouds blew over. Considering Kisuke's feelings for the boy, the ghoul didn't think it would take long.

 

“Hey, Kisuke,” the younger man smiled as he dried his hands and moved away from the sink, “thanks.”

 

The blonde frowned and tilted his head inquiringly, “For what? For being a pervert?”

 

Ichigo grinned as he moved in front of him and pulled the older male close while he whispered, “For leaving me where I was last night.” He gently kissed the corner of his mouth before continuing, “I woke up exactly where I wanted to be...in your arms.”

 

Kisuke's eyes began to smolder as he drew the boy into his embrace, “Even though you woke up in a dead man's embrace?”

 

“Hardly,” Ichigo answered dryly. “I've experienced enough to know better then that, Kisuke.” He looked levelly at the older man, “You have got to realize that I'm not like your other lovers. I won't run and I'm not scared of you. You don't have anything I want, nor do I have an ax to grind. I am not **using** you! Get that through your thick skull!”

 

The blonde smiled, sincerely happy, “It's beginning to sink in...I think.” He pulled Ichigo in for a simple hug, “I'm sorry for questioning that. Do you have any idea how happy I am with you?”

 

Ichigo hugged back, “No. You may have to convince me.” He grinned as he pulled away, “I'll look forward to it.”

 

Kisuke the lecher was back in a flash with a leer, “Where would you like to be convinced?”

 

Ichigo began to look thoughtfully at the older man, “Where would you like to convince me?”

 

“Out,” was the prompt yet lewd answer.

 

“...Alright,” Ichigo answered the challenge with a both a blush and a smirk. The younger man hoped he knew what he was getting himself in to. He was afraid that this time he might have bitten off more than he could chew. Before anything else could be said, the blonde's cell buzzed and he drew it out with a smirk at the younger man before reading the text.

 

Kisuke frowned as he read it and then put his phone away. “But first we have to stop by my office. It seems that one of my people has some information for me.”

* * *

It was the first time Ichigo had actually been to the head office of Visored Unlimited and he looked around excitedly as they moved through the building, into the elevator and then out on the top floor which housed the executive offices. They entered into the main office on the floor and the younger man saw a small group of people gathered around a huge conference table.

 

Of course he recognized Yoruichi and nodded to her with a suddenly shy look. She was standing next to a blonde man with bobbed blonde hair and a huge piano-tooth smile. He was dressed in dark grey slacks, a burnt orange shirt and a thin grey tie. Nearby stood a shorter silver haired man that looked at first glance to be about his sister's age but his eyes gave away just how much older he was. There were two huge men quietly talking to each other. One was a buff blonde with...fur on his arms!?! The other was pink haired and made the huge room look almost cramped. Kisuke grinned at the others and brought Ichigo forward for introductions.

 

“Gentlemen and lady,” he smirked at Yoruichi, “let me introduce you to my new personal assistant, Kurosaki Ichigo. Ichigo, the blonde next to Yor is Hirako Shinji. The shorty is Hitsugaya Toshiro,” here the seemingly younger man scowled. “These two behemoths are Komamura Sajin and Ushoda Hachigen.” Ichigo nodded to everyone as they proceeded to sit down. “Don't worry folks, Ichigo is privy to what we'll be discussing, so speak openly please.” That made everyone except Yoruichi look uncomfortable; they hadn't expected a very young and obviously human assistant. Ichigo realized that the only other human in the room was the slim blonde man who was currently grinning widely at him.

 

“Yoruichi, why did you call us together?” Kisuke asked with one eyebrow raised inquiringly.

 

“As I said yesterday, Aizen is planning an attack here in Karakura in the hopes of wiping you out,” she began suddenly serious. “I was contacted late last night and informed that two of his top spies have arrived and are scouting the area trying to gather information on your enterprises. Shinji also has come across some intel that I believe you will find very interesting.” She nodded to the blonde as she finished. He leaned forward and pushed a folder along with a small thumb drive over to Urahara.

 

“The other day I was searching near Matsumoto Castle, trying to follow up on some reports of Yokai activity when I stumbled across an absolutely gorgeous woman. Her picture is included in the file,” he paused while Kisuke opened the folder and suddenly sat up at attention.

 

“How? This isn't possible!” the blonde seemed more than a little agitated to his young lover as he watched the Vampire.

 

Shinji just grinned wider as he answered in a sing-song voice, “Oh yes it is.” He then continued, more seriously, “I'm sure you know, Kisuke, that some Yokai are born but others can be created by the person's strong will and a feeling of something left undone. She is an evolved Yokai, not a natural one. Knowing the story, I thought you might want to use this information to solidify your connection to the mole in Aizen's camp.”

 

Kisuke could only shake his head as he gazed at the woman in the photo. Ichigo leaned over to get a look and could only marvel at the woman's beauty. She was gorgeous, with long, wavy strawberry blonde hair, a voluptuous body, and a mischievous look in her teal eyes. Had Ichigo been straight, he would have been instantly smitten. “Dear gods,” the blonde whispered, “she died so long ago. Are you certain she's the same person?” he looked at the blonde sharply. Shinji just nodded.

 

“Positive. Does this help?”

 

Kisuke nodded, “It does.”

 

Ichigo looked at his lover curiously, “Who is she?”

 

The answer came from the giant blonde across the table, “She once was engaged to a very dear friend of mine. I was one of Aizen Sosuke's closest friends when we were young; along with two others named Masa and Taiki. Her name was Rangiku and she and Taiki were in love. He met her when she was a little girl and wanted her to be his mate once she grew up.

 

“She didn't have what could be considered a good life; she was born and raised in a brothel and once she was old enough, she was expected to work there. Even so, she loved life and took great enjoyment from everything, never looking back in regret. Taiki adored her and wanted to save her.

 

“Aizen didn't approve since she was human rather than Yokai and eventually took matters into his own hands. One night he went to visit her and he killed her. Taiki was one of the first to see her body.” His hands clenched into fists as they rested on the table. “That was the final straw for me and I broke with Aizen. Masa continued loyally by that bastard's side and Taiki has stayed close in order to bring him down.” He looked over at the Vampire. “When I saw that picture I knew you'd want to be informed.”

 

The rest of the meeting passed by quickly with Urahara bringing the room up to date on what he knew of Aizen's activities and cautioning the others to be careful but to spread the word to their allies that a battle was brewing. Another meeting would take place in the weeks following and would contain all of the top Visored officers. After that they were free to go.

* * *

Once the meeting ended, Kisuke took Ichigo to one of his favorite clubs in Karakura. It was a Vampire nightclub, set up for those who were either fascinated by the idea of vampirism or involved in the lifestyle, as well as those who actually **were** Vampires. It was a favorite haunt for many other Night Walkers as well. The club was a wonderful feeding ground for many of Kisuke's associates and the Vampire had wanted to go there for two reasons: first, to show Ichigo off and second, to let the Night Walker community who the boy belonged to.

 

He felt that it was time for the younger man to really learn what it meant to be with him; to be his lover. Kisuke was worried but he had to let Ichigo find his feet within this world so he could walk beside him with confidence. He had to show the boy that he trusted him not to run away.

 

Both men wore casual clothes; Kisuke in black pants and a loosely tucked in dark blue shirt, Ichigo all in fitted black with silver accents. As they entered the club, all eyes turned to check out the newcomers. Many recognized the blonde and were surprised he'd brought his dinner with him this time. The true Vampires and other Night Walkers perceived the markings of ownership that crisscrossed the boy's body and treated him with the respect he deserved, while the rest noticed the hot young man...and realized that he was taken with varying degrees of disappointment.

 

Ichigo knew he was out of his depth the moment he entered the building. The otherworldly atmosphere was overwhelming; he'd never felt anything like this before, not even in the conference room earlier. As he looked around, he instinctively moved closer to Kisuke. The blonde noticed and wrapped an arm around the younger man's waist with a reassuring smile.

 

While they moved deeper into the club, Ichigo began to look around and almost immediately noticed how many people seemed to know his lover. They were silently greeted by no less then ten people as they passed by and headed around the dance floor to the bar.

 

“Kisuke,” Ichigo murmured into the Vampire's ear, “are there **any** humans in here at all, or is everyone some kind of Night Walker?”

 

“You picked up on that?” Kisuke looked pleased. He went on, “About two thirds of the patrons are Night Walkers and the rest are human.”

 

The younger man nodded, “I thought the vibe in here was overwhelmingly preternatural.”

 

Kisuke smirked at how quickly Ichigo had caught on as he guided him over to the bar and ordered his favorite Zinfandel before asking Ichigo what he wanted. The young man quickly scoped out what the bar had to offer and answered that a beer would do for a start. They settled onto a couple of stools while they waited for their drinks and checked out the crowded club. The music was addictive, very erotic and it called out to Ichigo; begging him to get up, dance, and forget the weird vibe. Kisuke was having fun watching his companion move to the music while he was still seated so he leaned over to speak, “Go on if you want to, I'll watch your drink.” Ichigo hesitated briefly but then stood and strolled out onto the dance floor.

 

When he began to move to the music, Kisuke was more than surprised. He'd expected Ichigo to be stiff and uncertain, but the reality was very different. Right before his eyes, his seemingly modest companion turned into sex personified as his body began to undulate to the music. His eyes were half-lidded and he kept himself contained so as not to get in the other dancer's way but he caught everyone's attention. A couple of women joined him, matching his movements. They were smooth and sensuous as he slowly turned until he was facing the bar and when his eyes opened fully, he stared straight at Kisuke with the most blatant 'come hither' look the Vampire had ever seen. Ichigo never broke eye contact as he twisted and slid across the floor with his temporary companions, mesmerizing his lover more and more. However, before he could join Ichigo, someone bumped his shoulder and he looked to the side to see a slim, silver haired man with a fox-like smile sitting beside him.

 

“Long time no see, Urahara-san,” Gin began softly, his smile taking a sinister slant.

 

“I wondered when you'd slither back, Ichimaru,” Kisuke replied returning his gaze to the boy on the dance floor.

 

“Don't be that way,” the other man replied with a mock pout. “He's lovely,” he continued.

 

“Don't even think it,” the blonde replied with forced politeness.

 

“You've nothing to fear from me, he's not my type. I can't say Sosuke won't take an interest though.”

 

That brought a response as Kisuke turned his complete attention to the other man and grabbed his wrist, “One wrong move and it will be your last.” Ichimaru chuckled and slid his hand until it gripped the blonde's tightly; the smile long gone.

 

“You were the one who brought that boy into this. If anything happens to him, it will be on your head, not mine.” The blonde yanked his hand away as Ichimaru sat back and shoved his hands into his pants pockets. “Aizen-sama will be here eventually and then the fun will **really** begin.” He stood with another wide, closed-mouthed smile and strolled out of the club with all eyes on his back as Kisuke's allies and friends present watched the exchange.

 

Kisuke's attention slowly returned to the boy on the dance floor, his troubled expression fading as he watched Ichigo continue to dance. Ichigo's scowl at the scene between the two men cleared and he winked saucily at his lover as he raised his hands in front and gave the Vampire a 'gimme' gesture, trying to lure him out to join him.

 

Kisuke finished his red wine quickly and grabbed a fresh beer as he stood to join his Thrall, glaring at the women who dared to get so close to the boy. They recognized his power and immediately backed off as Ichigo smiled and nodded his thanks to them. Kisuke handed Ichigo the bottle as he possessively wrapped one arm around the younger man's slim waist and began to move with him. Ichigo smirked and took a long drink from the bottle. “Mmm, that hit's the spot,” was purred right into the blonde's ear, making him shiver at the sound. “Who was that man?” he asked in a more normal tone.

 

“I'll tell you later.” Kisuke turned Ichigo so that they were back to front as he pressed his lover into his body while they continued to move together. “Careful,” he murmured playfully, “or we just might have to put on a show for everyone here to show them exactly who you belong to.”

 

Ichigo tilted his head back onto the blonde's shoulder in order to look at him, “And who **you** belong to as well. But I thought that was the point. Is there a problem, Kisuke? We did come out to have fun...didn't we?”

 

The Vampire's eyes sharpened, “You're sure about this?”

 

The younger man chuckled dryly, “Not really, but I trust you and you would never let anyone cause us trouble...so why not?”

 

Kisuke growled as he buried his head in the boy's neck and pressed their bodies tightly together, while they more or less danced to the music. Ichigo sighed as he completely let go, allowing the music to take him over and not worrying about earlier or making a fool of himself; he decided he could be mortified later.

 

They moved like this for a while until Ichigo finished his drink and a server unobtrusively took it from him. That was what Kisuke had been waiting for as he decided to test the waters to see what his lover could actually handle in public. He grinned as he let the hand that wasn't pressing them together begin to move. As his fingers worked under the tight shirt the boy wore he heard Ichigo groan softly and felt him push himself into his lover even more firmly.

 

The grin turned into a leer as his other hand lowered enough to palm Ichigo's growing erection, rubbing him to full hardness through the jeans that were painted onto him. Ichigo's ass began to grind into the blonde's crotch in response which only tempted the older man to try more. He let his glamour flow out, blinding the humans to what was really going on out on the dance floor as he popped the button on Ichigo's waistband and slid his hand inside to touch the younger man. Ichigo's moans became louder as the music pulsed around them and Kisuke slowly brought him to completion right in the middle of the club.

 

The Vampire had meant to send a message out to the Night Walker community and that he had accomplished. This boy was his, body and soul; and none would cross him, unless they were ready for a war. He was one beast no one wanted to challenge. As he let his glamour fade, the humans present got the same message loud and clear. Ichigo. Was. His.

* * *

Gin carefully entered the penthouse and scoped the place out to make certain that he was really alone. Once he'd reassured himself, he went into his bedroom, locked the door and took out a laptop from a hidden wall safe he'd had installed years ago. He quickly booted it up and inserted the thumb drive that Kisuke had passed him in the club, his eyes widening when he got his first look at the images on the file.

 

'No way!' he thought with a small gasp. 'Is that...?' He settled back and began to read the report on the Yokai that used to be his fiancé, tears once again sliding silently down his face.

* * *

On the other side of town in a heavily wooded area, Renji was woken from a deep sleep. His plans to go to the beach with Keigo and Mizuiro had fallen through so he'd decided to go camping by himself instead without telling anyone. He'd backpacked into the forest outside of Karakura and had pitched his tent earlier that day.

 

When he awoke he didn't immediately know what had disturbed him but within moments his eyes widened as he heard a roar and he bolted out of his tent and straight into snapping jaws. He never even had a chance to scream as he was pounced on and knocked to the ground.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things are beginning to happen; although, I'm sorry about the cliffy!


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy!!

* * *

“Renji!” Ichigo woke up, tearing himself out of his lover's arms and screaming from the nightmare at dawn the next day. He was slightly hung over, tired, and sore from the night before. After they'd returned home, Kisuke had thrown him down on the bed and continued what they'd begun at the club, ravishing him to within an inch of his sanity. The nightmare couldn't have come at a worse time for the young man. It was too real...too graphic.

 

“It can't be real!” he muttered to himself. “Renji went to the beach with the guys, he couldn't have been in the woods!” However, he knew in his heart that the nightmare was real. Ichigo sat still until his heartbeat and breathing had slowed back down to normal and then quickly got out of bed and called Yoruichi.

 

She wasn't too happy at being woken up, but when she heard the details of Ichigo's dream, she was instantly alert. “Slow down, Ichigo. If you're right, we'll find him. I'll call as soon as we locate the boy.”

 

“And if I'm wrong?” he asked tiredly, his adrenaline rush fading quickly.

 

“I'll kill you for waking me up,” she answered flatly before hanging up.

 

Ichigo paced as he waited, then he decided to get dressed just in case. After that job was completed, he paced some more until the phone rang. He snatched it up, “Yes!?!”

 

Yoruichi's voice was unusually grim, “We found him and unfortunately you were correct.”

 

Ichigo's eyes began to water as he sank down onto a sofa, “Shit.”

 

“He's alive and I brought him to Karakura General. He's in surgery right now, but it's touch and go Ichigo. They don't know if he'll make it.”

 

“I'll be right down. Are you there now?” he asked as he pulled himself together.

 

“Yes. I'll see you soon,” she answered before hanging up.

 

Ichigo quickly left notes for both Kisuke and Tessai and then headed over to the hospital where this had all begun for him. He couldn't believe that it hadn't even been a month yet, so much had happened. So much had changed.

 

Once he arrived, he headed for the emergency room and quickly found Yoruichi sitting beside a small woman with short black hair and two long thin braids down her back. When they saw him, Yoruichi grinned tiredly and the other woman scowled.

 

“You made good time, Ichigo,” the caramel-skinned lady said. “He's still in surgery.” She turned to the other woman, “This is Soi Fon; she's the one who found him.”

 

Ichigo smiled at the shorter woman, “Thank you so much! I owe you one.” The woman just snorted, though she tried to hide the very faint blush at his sincere words. He noticed an 'off' feeling from her that was similar to what he'd felt around other Night Walkers but chose to ignore it for the time being.

 

“It was just blind luck,” she began gruffly as the door opened and another dark haired woman walked in. She wore her long black hair in a bun and still had on her surgical scrubs as she shook hands with the two women and was introduced to Ichigo.

 

“Unohana-sensei is one of the finest trauma surgeons in this country, Ichigo,” Yoruichi stated with a small smile at the younger man. “She's an expert on these kinds of injuries.” Ichigo quickly caught the significance of that statement; this wasn't an ordinary animal attack.

 

He ignored the cold chill that ran up his back as he bowed to the surgeon, “Thank you so much for everything you've done, Sensei. I owe you one, too.”

 

She smiled gently and reported, “He made it through the surgery but it will be a while before he's completely out of the woods. He has an extremely strong will to live, that friend of yours.”

 

Ichigo smiled, “Yeah, that's Renji for you! He'll make it, I know he will.” He looked at all three women equally, “Was he bitten too, or were all of his injuries made by the animal's claws?”

 

Unohana answered, “Most of his injuries were from clawing but he was bitten as well. I don't believe he will develop any infections but the aftercare will need to be intense,” she looked at Yoruichi as she said this and then turned her smile on Ichigo again. “He will need a lot of physical therapy. I believe that Shihoin-san is perfectly suited to help him rehabilitate himself.”

 

Ichigo nodded in agreement, “I can't think of anyone better than Yoruichi for this.” He looked carefully at the doctor, trying to gauge what she was but he couldn't pick anything up, “When will we be able to see him?”

 

“His family needs to be informed first,” she began but Ichigo held up a hand to halt her.

 

“He lives with the Kuchiki's who are currently out of the country. Everyone who can be thought of as either family or friend is on vacation this summer. There's just me for now,” Ichigo explained to the doctor.

 

She nodded, “His family still needs to know.”

 

“And I will be happy to inform them once I see him with my own eyes,” he was adamant; his own power inadvertently crackling around him.

 

Unohana smiled again as she acquiesced, “Very well. He will be in recovery for a few hours and then will be placed in our IC Unit. You'll be able to see him then.”

 

Ichigo let his relief and gratitude show as his power subsided, “Thank you.”

 

After she left, Ichigo turned to Yoruichi, “What was she? Human...or other?”

 

“Other, Ichigo. She's a Yuki Onna,” the cat woman said with a sly smile.

 

“Wait... **what**? She certainly fits the description but that's a Yokai, not a-a...” he trailed off, not certain how to finish that statement without pissing anyone off. Then he finally finished plaintively with, “It's not even **snowing**!”

 

Then he turned to Soi Fon and asked, “And you? What are you? I know you're not human.”

 

She glared again, “How rude!”

 

Before she could continue, Yoruichi laughed and slung an arm around her shoulders. “She's a Were like me, Ichigo,” Yoruichi smiled even as Soi Fon turned her glare on her.

 

The younger man looked blank, “No she's not! Yoruichi...she doesn't feel like you. She's more...” he tried searching for the right words as the smaller woman growled her displeasure at being talked about as if she wasn't there.

 

That made Yoruichi laugh as she murmured, “There are more things in heaven and earth, my dear Ichigo, than are dreamt of in your philosophy!”

 

The younger man rolled his eyes but decided it was safer to let it drop for the moment. The shorter woman was scary.

* * *

When Kisuke rose later that day, he found Tessai bustling around, the bath drawn, his clothes laid out, and the car parked in front of the house. “What's going on, Tessai? Where's Ichigo?”

 

“Get dressed, Sir. Ichigo-san is at the hospital. There was an attack on one of his friends last night,” he handed a sealed note to his employer. “I will be waiting in the car,” he finished as he turned to leave. Kisuke sipped his tea as he opened the note. Within moments the tea was drunk, he had bathed, and was getting dressed; laziness forgotten as he hurried to join his lover.

 

They reached the hospital in record time and located the waiting area Ichigo had turned into his base for the time being. Kisuke went in alone and found the younger man slumped in one of the chairs, sound asleep. He smiled as he walked over and gently stroked the orange bangs out of Ichigo's eyes.

 

“Good to see you again, Kisuke-san,” the soft but firm voice came from across the room and Kisuke turned to see Unohana Retsu standing in the doorway.  She was now wearing her day clothes under a white lab coat and had her hair braided under her chin.

 

“Retsu, I should have known you'd be called in,” he smiled a bit sadly. “How is Abarai-kun?”

 

“Not good,” she sighed as she sat down near the doorway in order to keep an eye out for eavesdroppers. “He was practically ripped apart before he was bitten. It looked like the Were was supposed to kill him outright but couldn't help but take a bite at the end.”

 

She continued with a small smile, “He's a fighter, that one. He should pull through. Ichigo-kun has been here all day. He's a very loyal friend.”

 

Kisuke looked down at his sleeping lover, “Yes, he is. Did he call the Kuchiki's?”

 

Unohana nodded, “Yes, around noon. The brother and sister are on their way back now. Tell me, how are they Abarai-kun's family?”

 

The blonde grinned, “All of Ichigo's closest friends come from what could be loosely termed 'broken homes.' Rukia was an orphan that was adopted by the Kuchiki's who are so wealthy and influential that they don't have time for her, so her adopted brother cares for her. She's known Renji since before her adoption and she convinced her brother, Byakuya, to take **him** in too.”

 

He continued down the list, “Ishida Uryu lost his mother the same year that Ichigo's mother died and there's bad blood between him and his father. Inoue-san's parents abandoned her and her brother raised her until she was thirteen, when **he** died. Chad's parents died when he was little and he was raised by his grandfather in Mexico until he was fourteen, when the old man passed away. They are Ichigo's nakama and he loves them as if they were his brothers and sisters. He'd lay down his life for them,” he finished softly with a wealth of feeling in his voice.

 

“I see,” she murmured with another small smile. “It makes sense now why you would make him yours, even though he should be your sworn enemy. You love him.”

 

Kisuke shot her a sharp look, “I can't love anyone.” His expression dared her to argue the point.

 

“Please excuse the vulgarity but...bullshit,” and her smile grew dangerous as her power flared slightly. “Even a Vampire King can love. And you do...deeply. That's why betrayal hurts you so much. You may pretend to everyone else, but don't lie to yourself Kisuke. And you need to let him know the depth of your feelings,” with that last parting shot she glided away, leaving the two alone.

 

“I'm not lying to **myself** ,” he muttered to himself. “I'm not,” he ended quietly with a heavy sigh.

 

“Kisuke, what time is it?” Ichigo asked drowsily while he stretched. The blonde jumped slightly as he spun around to face him, guilt written all over his face.

 

“Um...” he quickly looked at his watch, “about six o'clock.” He turned away to hide his blush but his hand was grabbed.

 

“Don't worry. I have very selective hearing,” the younger man said with a smirk. “But how do you know so much about my friends?”

 

“I'm awfully good at investigating what I'm interested in. Since I wanted you, I found out everything I could about you **and** your friends. If they are important to you, then they are important to me.”

 

Ichigo looked like he wanted to be angry but couldn't work up the energy. “What's a Vampire King?” he asked instead as he looked at the older man, and something snapped inside of Kisuke as he sank to his knees in front of Ichigo and gathered the younger man into his arms.

 

“I'm sorry I couldn't get here sooner. I came as soon as Tessai gave me the note,” he pulled back and gazed into his lover's eyes. “She's right, you know. I'm sorry. I....”

 

Ichigo interrupted him before he could say another word, saying softly, “I love you, Kisuke. I have almost from the beginning and I **know** how hard those words are to say, so tell me when you can say them freely, ne?” When he saw the older man nod and relax he repeated, “So what's a Vampire King?”

 

“In my world a King, Queen or Alpha is someone who is strong enough to command others. They can be any type of Night Walker, the main qualification is power. I'm one of the two Vampire Kings in the world. I have my own following from many different...tribes, if you will. They are 'employed' by my corporation, Visored Unlimited. Of course I also have humans that work for me, but there are certain divisions within it that are completely comprised of my fellow creatures.”

 

“Damn,” the boy muttered, “I never realized how prominent you were. I mean I knew you were strong; people automatically defer to you without you even being pushy about it, but...damn.” He sat up straighter, “Who's the other one?”

 

“You should have figured it out by now. It's Aizen,” Kisuke snarled quietly. He shook his head to clear it, “Enough about that, have you seen Abarai-kun?”

 

“Just once. He hasn't regained consciousness yet.”

 

“Well, let's go take a quick look shall we?” Kisuke beamed and gestured for the boy to follow him.

 

He told Ichigo to keep quiet and not touch anything as they passed the oblivious humans and walked right up to Renji's room in the ICU. They didn't enter, but looked through the window at the injured boy. Renji was wrapped from head to toe in bandages...he looked like a mummy. It was horrifying to see one usually so strong, weakened like this and Ichigo felt tears begin to form. He angrily blinked them away as Kisuke led him back to the waiting room. The younger man sat down heavily and put his head in his hands.

 

Without looking up he asked, “Have you heard anything at all about who was responsible for this?”

 

Kisuke frowned, “No, but I'm sure Yoruichi is investigating as we speak. She'll inform us as soon as she has any information.” Ichigo sighed as he nodded and leaned back in his chair.

 

“You look exhausted, Ichigo, let's go home. There's nothing else you can do here,” Urahara moved to stand but the younger man stayed put.

 

He shook his head, “I can't leave him here by himself Kisuke. I'll go once Byakuya and Rukia arrive. If you need something to do, find out if this has anything to do with Aizen. If it does....” he trailed off, his voice dangerous.

 

“...He'll wish he'd never crossed us,” Kisuke finished. “But we could be wrong. It might be a random Were that came to this country on a whim.”

 

Ichigo snorted, “Yeah, right; and this,” he tugged at his hair, “really **isn't** my natural color!” His expression turned thoughtful as he continued, “Although if true, that might make the bastard harder to trace.” Kisuke sat down beside the orange haired boy and reached over to take his hand. Ichigo smiled as he interlaced their fingers and the two relaxed for what they knew would be a long night.

* * *

Yoruichi was tired as she headed for the hospital to report in to Ichigo about the beast that had attacked his friend. She would have preferred a long hot bubble bath and a full night's sleep but she couldn't do that to the boy. He deserved to know what had happened and who had attacked the red head.

 

When she entered the waiting room shortly before midnight, she swallowed the giggle that wanted to escape. Ichigo was snuggled up to the blonde Vampire who was slowly running his fingers through the boy's, now shaggy, mane. They were too cute for words!

 

“Awww,” she whispered as she sat down across from them. At Kisuke's glare she became serious, “He's going to want to hear this.”

 

“Hear what?” Ichigo sat up and blinked owlishly.

 

“We got a lead on the Were that attacked Abarai-kun,” she began. Both men sat up suddenly alert as she continued, “He's a Werepanther, an American of German descent. His name is Grimmjow Jaegerjaques and he used to work for Aizen...he probably still does.” She handed them a slightly faded color photograph, “He's quite a gorgeous animal.”

 

“Most beasts are,” Ichigo stated as he looked at the photo of a well-built blue haired man. In it he was wearing jeans and nothing else; his smirk could rival Ichigo's own. “Is he wearing eye makeup?” he asked as he squinted at the picture.

 

“No, I think they're tattoos. My informant said the markings make his eyes stand out,” she smirked.

 

“How do you know all of this?” the blonde asked, all playfulness long gone. “And how did you get that picture?”

 

“Do you remember Nelliel? She came over to our side about the time we tried to take down Aizen. She didn't like how he played and wanted nothing more to do with the Were pack that was affiliated with him.”

 

He frowned as he thought back and then he smiled widely, “Oh, yes...I do remember her! Beautiful long green hair and she had an even bigger rack than you! She tried to smother me with it once.” Ichigo glared at his lover as Yoruichi smacked him upside his head. “Ow!”

 

“Serves you right,” the young man smirked and high-fived the Werecat. “Is she reliable?” he asked as he turned serious.

 

Yoruichi nodded, “Very. She's deeply loyal to those who earn her trust and quite a nice Wereram; although she loves to butt heads a lot.” Ichigo gave her a sharp look to see if she was joking but she seemed very serious. “You'll see soon enough Ichigo. Anyway she recognized his scent and found the photograph in her belongings. It was taken in the seventies, I think. He's being hunted as we speak.”

 

“Don't you mean tracked?” Kisuke asked.

 

“No, I meant what I said. Zaraki's involved. He saw the photo and got...interested.”

 

When Ichigo noticed his lover blanch he looked at Yoruichi, “What's a Zaraki?”

 

She grinned a bit maniacally, “He's my pack Alpha and he's very powerful. When he catches up to the blue kitty, Jaegerjaques will wish he'd never been born.”

 

“So that's...good?” the boy asked hesitantly.

 

“Hard to tell,” Kisuke spoke up. “Zaraki has been around a long time and is very animalistic and also very territorial. If he finds this Jaegerjaques, he'll beat him down, and get any useful information he can out of him. Once that's done, he'll either eat him or fuck him until he wished he was dead.”

 

Ichigo was silent for a moment, then he grinned; it wasn't a pleasant expression. “After what he did to Renji, I'm ok with the second option. Dying's too good for the bastard. Hopefully the information we get will be worth it.”

 

“From what Nelliel told me, Grimmjow has always been a loose cannon and not terribly loyal to Aizen. I never got a chance to take his measure, but Zaraki killed his and Nelliel's sire the last time we tangled with Aizen and when he corners that kitty cat, Grimmjow will recognize his power...and if he's smart, he'll roll over for him,” Yoruichi said smugly.

 

“Literally,” Kisuke added as she nodded in agreement.

 

“Do you guys always have to equate everything with sex?” Ichigo asked as he rolled his eyes.

 

“Yes!” they answered in unison.

 

“Figures,” was his wry comeback.

* * *

Later that night across town, a well-built blue haired man dove for cover as the wolves that were hunting him got closer. They had his scent and he knew he'd never escape them, there were too many. 'God damn it! I hate wolves,' he thought as he tried to quiet his breathing.

 

When Grimmjow had gotten the order to come to Karakura to send a warning to Aizen's enemy, he'd felt that something was off. It had been explained that only he could set the right tone and that this assignment was a privilege no one else had earned. Now it felt like a suicide mission and he was seriously beginning to doubt Aizen's motives. Not that he was surprised. Aizen didn't know the meaning of the word 'loyalty.'

 

This was a hunt to the death and he knew who the prey was tonight. 'Fuck,' he thought as he poked his head around the corner of the building he was currently hiding in the shadow of. There were three wolves standing guard, blocking his exit. They looked as if they were waiting for something, 'Or someone.' He'd been treed. 'No way am I going down without a fight!' He readied himself and leapt over the dumpster and the three animals that blocked the alleyway. For about a second he thought he was in the clear and then he was broadsided by something and hit the ground hard.

 

He looked up at his attacker while he tried to get his his lungs working again. “Nelliel!” he gasped. She grinned down at him in glee.

 

“Hiya Grimmy! I thought we'd never catch up with you; you've gotten better at avoiding detection I see. Well done!”

 

“Why?” he asked indicating her companions that had him pinned to the ground, ready to rip his throat out if he so much as sneezed.

 

“Because you hurt the wrong person,” she turned serious. “You never should have come here, Grimmy. This isn't a fight you can win. Our Alpha is very strong and he's quite bloodthirsty. I'd never want to get on his bad side.” She paused and then ended with, “And you managed to get on **both** of them.”

 

“Shit,” he groaned as he let his head flop onto the ground. “There's no way you can help me out here?”

 

He wasn't surprised when she answered negatively, “No. If you hadn't done such a good job of mauling that poor boy, you probably could've gotten away with it. You always loved to play with your prey too much!” She looked sad as she noticed someone standing just out of Grimmjow's range of vision.

 

“Good work Nelliel, boys,” came a gravelly voice from the end of the ally. “So this is our kitty cat?” Grimmjow growled at the nickname as he felt the other's power surge toward him and tried to see the man it belonged to. The hidden one laughed, a rich sound that thoroughly terrified the younger Were pinned to the ground. He heard the man approach and finally got a good look at him.

 

He was huge. That was what crossed Grimmjow's mind first, then the details became apparent. He wore brown leather boots, pants and an open vest with no shirt. His body was highly defined with a six pack to die for and riddled with scars. As Grimmjow's eyes traveled up the man's lean body to his face, he cringed. He wore his dark brown hair in long spikes that hung around his face and down his back. An eye patch covered his right eye and a scar ran down the left side of his face. He looked fearsome and Grimmjow knew he was in trouble; he'd never get away in one piece.

 

The man had walked up to tower over him and ordered the wolves to release, but Grimmjow stayed exactly where he was. He knew better than to get flip with this much raw power. “Zaraki Kenpachi,” the man growled out his name. “Like what you see, boy?” he asked with a wry amusement.

 

The blue haired man finally found his voice, “Not really.” His inner self blew a raspberry at him for the lie. Grimmjow appreciated the kind of power this man exuded as easily as breathing. Zaraki was a true Alpha, what Grimmjow had been striving for since he'd become a Were; he couldn't help but be drawn to him. However he'd cut out his own tongue before admitting it!

 

Zaraki smiled a feral smile that made Grimmjow's blue hair crawl across his scalp, “Don't worry, Jaegerjaques,” he whispered as he bent down, “you'll learn to love it,” and then he released his considerable power straight at him, smothering him and knocking him out.

 

As Zaraki stood, tossing the now unconscious male over his shoulder, he turned to the green haired woman, “How hard is he gonna fight me?”

 

“He has a great deal of pride, he won't break easily,” she frowned in worry. “You won't have to kill him, will you?”

 

The big man shrugged, “That's gonna be up to him.”

* * *

Grimmjow drifted in a haze and dreamt of honeysuckle. It was a scent that he knew belonged to her. She was one of the high points in his life after he was changed; the only one who treated him like family in that godforsaken den. She was both his angel and his blood-bond sister.

 

Grimmjow had missed her horribly when she disappeared. Aizen had arrived back in America, with his tail between his legs, and told him that both Nnoitra and Nel had been killed by the enemy. He'd secretly rejoiced over Nnoitra's death but grieved for Nelliel. It had taken him almost two decades to determine that the bastard had been lying...at least where Nel was concerned. He hadn't known whether to be relieved or furious, but he had snuck a letter out to her with his picture included.

 

They'd been able to keep up a haphazard correspondence from then on. She'd told him about her life and how happy she was with her new pack. He'd been happy for her, if a little jealous. She had found her place and he couldn't help but want that for himself, too. God knew that by Aizen's side was not where he belonged. The only problem was that he didn't know **where** he belonged. With both his maker and surrogate sister gone, he was lost. He hated feeling that way.

 

When Aizen had sent him to Japan, Grimmjow decided that he wasn't coming back. He'd complete this last mission and then he'd disappear. One way or another he'd find Nel and try to make a place for himself by her side again...if she'd let him.

 

It had taken a while to hunt down one of Urahara's fuck buddy's friends, but he'd managed it. He'd hunted the red head with a zeal that he hadn't felt in a long time. It was great! The night Grimmjow had tracked him into the forest, he'd found the boy's tent and stalked around it, creating ever increasing noises to wake him up.

 

'What? Is he deaf!?!' he thought in exasperation before he eventually let out a full-on roar and heard a yell from within the tent. 'Finally!'

 

When the red head had rushed out into the open, the smoky blue panther was ready to pounce...and did. Unfortunately for the cat, the boy had grabbed a weapon on the way out of his shelter. As Grimmjow struck, the red head lashed out with a hunting knife and was actually able to temporarily throw the cat off. He didn't have the upper hand for long, but Grimmjow had to truly fight to win this one. By the time it was over, the boy was bleeding on the ground and Grimmjow stood to the right, his sides heaving as he watched him warily and with respect.

 

'This one's a fighter. Fuck Aizen's orders! I can't let him die like this...' Without another thought, he moved over to the boy and bit down, as gently as he could, into his shoulder. He managed to miss any vital arteries when he did the deed. He then licked the larger wounds to begin both their healing process and the change before he once again, and very carefully, bit the boy. It was a process of bite, lick, lick, bite, etc. He had to make sure the Were virus took hold before the boy died on him. He kept at it until he caught an unfamiliar scent on the wind. It smelled of female, age, and anger and he knew that this was one bitch he didn't want to mess with; so with one last look at his newly created child, he ran away praying that the boy would be found quickly. Grimmjow didn't want him to die.

 

As his thoughts began to drift back to the scent of honeysuckle, he heard her voice. “Grimmy! Grimmjow Jaegerjaques it's time to wake up!” He cracked open his cyan eyes and saw the one person in the whole world he'd wanted to see.

 

He smiled a truly beautiful smile, “Hey, Nel. Didn't say it before...but it's good to see you.”

 

She smiled once again, “I'm sorry it had to be under these circumstances.”

 

“Did the boy make it?” Grimmjow asked quickly.

 

“Why do you care?” came the rough voice from before as the man himself entered the room.

 

“Not that it's any of your business, bastard, but he impressed me,” he smirked. “He almost had **me** a couple of times...and him just a feisty kid! I didn't want that fire to be snuffed out.”

 

“Is that why you bit him?” a beautiful caramel-skinned woman asked as she stepped out from behind the big man.

 

Grimmjow looked her over thoroughly before answering, “Of course that's why! It wasn't what I was supposed to do...but then I've hardly ever followed that bastard's orders, so what the hell?”

 

“Are you talking about Aizen?” the woman asked. Grimmjow snapped his jaws together and looked for Nel, who had disappeared by now.

 

“So you’re not going to say?” the woman asked again, almost sadly. He shook his head and refused to make eye contact.

 

“Guess we'll have ta do this the hard way,” the large man said with a maniacal grin as he cracked his knuckles. “Yor, shut the door on your way out.”

 

“But Zaraki - ” she began but was interrupted.

 

“It wasn't a suggestion,” he grinned at her evilly while showing all his teeth. “Leave us alone fer a bit. This kitty obviously wants to play. He needs to learn his place.”

 

The woman sighed as she gazed at their captive in pity before she shut the door. Grimmjow's glare never wavered, even as he gulped. “I don't spill on my comrades so easily, bastard!”

 

Zaraki looked at him seriously, “I don't ever go easy on those that hurt my allies, boy. You can rest assured of that.”

 

Grimmjow nodded with a small, if twisted, smile, “Good. Tell me one thing before you start?”

 

Zaraki knew what the younger man wanted to know and answered, “The boy made it. He's got a fight on his hands...but he's alive.”

 

Grimmjow closed his eyes as he sighed in relief, “Good.” He grinned back at the Werewolf, “Do your worst, bastard.”

 

“My pleasure, brat,” Zaraki growled.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sigh...the characters just keep multiplying!!!


End file.
